


sunflower seeds

by softlyspoken



Category: robron
Genre: AU, Angst, Fluff, M/M, aaron as seb’s babysitter, blame a mutuals anon for this, but like seb is a teenager!, if you like harry potter you’ll get my bants
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-08
Updated: 2019-06-08
Packaged: 2020-04-19 17:24:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 20,833
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19137274
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/softlyspoken/pseuds/softlyspoken
Summary: Liv is Seb’s babysitter, when work gets in the way, Aaron is forced to step in and save the day. Soon he’s realising how much he didn’t realise he needed something (or someone)





	sunflower seeds

**Author's Note:**

> I’ve been editing this fic a while now and just wanted to get it out and posted. 
> 
> Hoping you enjoy of course

Liv’s pissing him off because she’s running about the place and making it hard for him to get that early night he was after.

He rolls out of bed, huffs a little as he gets to the bottom of the stairs and watches her on her phone. She’s speaking to someone, or maybe she isn’t because then she sets the phone out.

“I’m sorry Mr Sugden but ... something’s come up.” She’s practising her words like a weirdo and Aaron sticks a hand in his pocket and makes her look up at him.

“Have you officially lost your mind?”

Liv stares up at him, she’s got this big sorry eyes about her and she looks ten years old again. Not double that. “Not yet.”

He frowns, because she’s annoying but he loves her more than anything and he can’t go back to bed when she’s being weird. 

“No.” Aaron says when she tells him to do one in a nicer way than that. “Yeah I’ve got a call out early but I can hardly leave you like this can I?”

It’s just gone seven. He’s meant to be having an early night. Only Liv’s face is so puffy and red now he might as well start up the whole tomato nickname again.

He doesn’t. He sits down instead and she sighs.

“Can’t look after Mr Sugden’s kid. I’ve got too much on.” She shakes a hand over her mess on the table, folders upon folders of coursework and shit that Aaron never got a look at when he left school at sixteen. 

He’s proud of her but she’s also taking on too much and this Mr Sugden can do one if he thinks she’s overexerting herself for him.

“Well just tell him that.” Aaron frowns, he doesn’t get the worry until she bangs on about Seb and her getting on, him not liking anyone but her really. 

“He’s dead quiet.” Liv says. “But he likes me.” She wrings her hands together, too many rings on her fingers make Aaron resist calling her some hippy or something. Instead he just looks up and sighs.

“This Mr Sugden can sort out child care himself, I didn’t realise you were the kid’s mum.”

Liv just scowls at him and sighs. She looks down at her phone and then quickly answers it. 

Aaron can hear this low deep voice, he frowns, gets his back up and waits for him to start shouting at Liv but none of that happens.

In short, she’s agreeing to be there within half an hour. 

“Liv you nutter.” Aaron finds this all a little amusing until she decides to be completely ridiculous.

“You could.” Liv says, eyes wide and alert. 

“I couldn’t.”

“But you could.” Liv comes closer, eyes even wider. Blue and green and enough to make Aaron scowl. “You’re great with kids.”

“I don’t know him.” Aaron folds his arms over.

“He’s nearly thirteen, sweet, he likes reading.” Liv’s listing off all these qualities and Aaron still doesn’t give a shit really. “You don’t have to do anything, he isn’t a baby.”

“So he can watch himself.” Aaron says.

Liv huffs. “His dad doesn’t see it like that. At all. He’s all over protective and ... Aaron please.”

Aaron sits up. “Read my lips, there is no way that I’m babysitting some kid for you.” 

 

—

“Right I’ll text you when he’s gone okay?” Liv slams the car door shut and runs towards the door of the house.

It’s big. It looks fancy.

This Mr Sugden could probably afford to pay for a proper nanny and not some twenty year old. It makes him tick. That and the fact that he’s waiting in his car ducked over like some weirdo because of his little sister.

He can’t believe it. He still can’t when he sees someone walk out of the house, it’s dark so all he can see is a tall guy heading towards the most beautiful car Aaron’s ever seen. 

He keeps staring until he feels his phone vibrating and Liv’s telling him the coast is clear.

“Fuck’s sake.” He mumbles, undoing his seatbelt and walking up towards the house. He walks in when Liv beckons, wipes his feet against the welcome mat and then is shown into the living room.

Liv’s already looking towards the door and he scowls at her.

“What’s his name again?” Aaron panics slightly because this is beyond weird.

Liv huffs. She says she’s spoken about him before but Aaron doesn’t remember. She drags at her brother’s arm until he turns the corner and sees a boy sitting down on the sofa with his head in a book. 

“Seb. Sebastian but Seb. Like little mermaid.”

“Like what?” Aaron frowns and Liv just rolls her eyes.

“Hey, Seb.” He lifts his head and Aaron sees him properly for the first time. “So this is Aaron. He’s my brother, he’ll be looking after you. Yeah?”

Aaron just looks at him and then looks back at Liv. The kid isn’t opening his mouth. It’s great. 

He just nods slowly and then Liv jumps a little. “Great. Call me if you need to. I’ll be back before he is.”

“Who is?”

“Mr Sugden.” Liv snaps. “He doesn’t need to know you were even here.”

Aaron just stares at Seb. 

“He won’t say anything don’t worry.” Liv must have a nice little relationship with the boy then. He thinks about her saying something months go, helping him with a school project or something. He nearly smiles when she gets to the door and waves at him.

And then she’s gone and Aaron just keeps staring at him.

 

—

 

He decides to look around the place. It’s bigger than his place, bigger than any place he’s ever been really. 

It’s all white walls and weird artwork and he shouldn’t be snooping about the place but he can’t help himself. He stops at a bedroom though, the door’s wide open and he hesitates before going back down the stairs and walking in the kitchen.

It’s got an island and everything. 

He gets a glass out and goes to run the tap before walking towards the fridge, pressing a button for three seconds and then cold water spills out. The force of it makes Aaron step back, water getting everywhere.

“Fucking hell!” Aaron snaps, he starts looking around for towels. He’s on his hands and knees like an idiot and then when he looks up the boy is there.

He’s standing there. He’s got a green jumper on, black joggers. His head is tilted towards the side.

“Uh ...” Aaron looks up and blinks. “Made a bit of a mess here haven’t I?” He doesn’t know if his voice should be higher. If he’s got to sound like some CBBC presenter. 

Seb just stares at him and then disappears for a second. Aaron stands and then frowns when he sees the boy come back in with a towel.

He looks up and then passes the towel over.

“Cheers.” Aaron says. “Thank you.” He starts mopping up the mess and then feels Seb stare at him as he wonders about trying to find somewhere to put the dirty towel.

He finds a cupboard and slowly inches it inside, when he looks back the boy is nearly smiling at him. 

He takes it as something.

 

—

 

He ends up on the sofa, Seb’s cautiously two seats away from him and Aaron realises that he’s probably weirded out by this too. He gets it. He’s used to Liv and he’s ended up with some grown arse man with a beard and a hoodie minding him.

He’s reading a book, Aaron reckons it’s one of the Harry Potter ones but he still asks. They’ve been sitting in silence for ages now so it’s worth a try, anything to coax him out of this. 

“What’s that?” He tilts his head, tries to engage, tries to treat the boy like Leo. 

The boy stares at him, Aaron wonders if he’s got some cripplingly shy thing going on that Liv decided to hide from him. 

“Harry Potter. Prisoner of ... Azkaban.” His voice is soft, hardly there and he looks younger than twelve. Aaron can’t envision him in big school with big lads, something stirs in him and he feels protective for the faintest of seconds. 

Aaron pretends like he knows it. “Oh. That’s the first one ain’t it?”

Seb suddenly frowns and it’s the most he’s expressed all night. It almost makes Aaron laugh. 

“The third.” He says. “You don’t know the Harry Potter’s?”

Aaron blinks, crosses his arms over. “Course I do. Big fan of Dumbledee.”

It makes Seb turn bright red, Aaron can see his freckles dancing on his cheek, across his nose and over the side. 

“It’s Dumbledore.” Seb says, his head is higher now. 

“Right.” Aaron slaps his hand against his thigh. “You must be a big fan then.” He watches Seb nod. “Hold on, but you’re only on the third one?”

Seb frowns like Aaron’s stupid. “I’m re-reading it.” He says. 

Aaron’s mouth gapes for a second and he looks around the place again. When he looks back, Seb is staring at him.

“Are you really Liv’s brother?”

Aaron nods. “Yeah.” He turns towards him. “Not just some random, I promise.” He whispers. 

Seb turns back to his book and then looks up again. “Do you want chips?” 

Aaron doesn’t know what to say to that. Then his eyes widen. “Haven’t you eaten?”

Seb closes his book and stares at Aaron. “There’s some left in the oven.”

Aaron nods, gets up and Seb walks in front of him towards the kitchen to get them out of the oven. Aaron’s thinking of the half baked pie he had for dinner and grabs a few. Then some more.

“They’re good. Where does your dad get them from?”

“Makes them.” Seb says, his voice is still small, the floppy blonde fringe of his is still bouncing but he his eyes seem brighter.

“He a chef?” Aaron leans against the counter.

Seb laughs. “He has some haulage thing.” 

Aaron doesn’t expect him to know anymore than that. He just nods along and looks around the place again, it must be doing pretty well.

Aaron wolfs down the rest of the chips when Seb gets out the ketchup and asks him questions.

“How old do you think I am?” Aaron resounds wriggling an eyebrow and feeling some sort of ease now. 

Seb studies him for way too long before speaking. “Thirty two?”

Aaron’s eyes widen. “Try twenty seven.” He says.

Seb grins and it’s big and bright. 

Aaron’s phone goes off and he turns it over. “Liv.” He tilts his head up. “She’s coming back now.”

Seb puts his head down. “Want to see my treehouse before you have to go?” 

And of fucking course he does.

 

—

 

The tree is massive, there’s this ladder and Seb’s climbing it with ease and making Aaron realise that he isn’t a teenager anymore. 

When he finally gets up he looks around it and his eyes widen. He’s got a nice little thing set up, it’s all cozy, all flickering lights and there’s a rug on the floor.

He points to it and Aaron smiles.

“My dad. His addition.”

Aaron bites back the bit where he says his dad sounds like a twat. Seb seems like a nice enough kid.

He looks up a picture on the wall, Seb’s hugging a woman. He frowns and then looks away from it when he sees Seb tense slightly.

“This is pretty cool.” Aaron says, he doesn’t even need to crouch all that much. He looks at the classic model of a car and turns into a geek. 

“I’ve got more in my room.” Seb’s already getting down the ladder, promising to be back with more. 

Aaron waits, twiddles his thumbs for what feels like too long so he climbs down awkwardly and then realises that the back door is locked. 

He sees Seb coming towards him though, cars in his hand and he’s got a smile on his face. He’s actually managed to make a quiet little kid turn into a butterfly or whatever Mum’s Net bangs on about these days. 

He’s fucking great at this whole baby sitting lark. 

Only then Seb spins around and when Aaron keeps trying to get the garden door open again he realises that someone else is standing there.

Liv.

And Mr fucking Sugden.

 

—

 

He wants to say all the things you’re supposed to say when you’ve been caught trying to get into practically a stranger’s house at quarter to ten at night but he sort of just freezes.

Mr Sugden strides towards the door and twist it in this weird way and Aaron’s in the house again. 

And he’s still just sort of staring at the man.

He’s tall and blonde and wearing a suit, pale pink tie and everything. He also looks like he wants to kill him. 

Which is fantastic.

“I uh ...” 

“Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t call the police.” His voice is strong, powerful. He’s holding Seb by the shoulder and his eyes are filled with loathing.

“He’s my brother Mr Sugden.” Liv says. “I tried ... telling you but then —“

The guy closes his eyes, he screws his face up real small and then turns towards Liv. “Your brother?”

He turns back around towards Aaron like he’s eyeing up his worth or something. Aaron feels about as big as his pinkie finger.

“Yeah. I needed to work and ... I begged him.” 

“You couldn’t just ring ahead and tell me?”

Liv is bright red. “I didn’t want to let Seb down.” She looks at the boy who’s still standing in his dad’s grip. The man slowly eases and Seb looks at Liv.

He clearly doesn’t see what’s wrong with anything. 

“He’s a _stranger_.” Robert snaps. “He’s a grown man and you left him ...”

“I’d never do anything ...” Aaron suddenly starts speaking and he breathes out deeply as Mr Sugden looks at him. “I was doing my little sister a favour, we were having an alright time.”

Seb frowns. “I was showing him my cars dad. It’s alright.” His voice is strange, like he’s the adult.

Robert’s eyes are still wide and his face is still red.

“I know how it must have looked.” Aaron tries.

“Some weird man wearing a black hoodie trying to break into my home?”

Aaron nods. “Yeah well ... hang on _weird_?”

Mr stupid Sugden just stares at him until Seb starts speaking again. He says Aaron’s been nice.

“Aaron?” And okay maybe Aaron’s starting to feel a little weird about him saying his name, maybe something is bubbling in his stomach. He’s doing that freezing thing again until Liv nods.

“Yeah. He’s not weird I promise.” Liv says hastily. She’s trying to smile and Mr Sugden just huffs. 

“Think you should both leave.” He says, rubs a hand across his face and Liv tells him not to be angry. Seb chimes in too. 

“Dad nothing bad happened. It was fun.”

The man just stares down at his kid like he’s just said they found a tree made of money outside or something.

“Bed.” He says. He kisses his head and Seb turns bright red before looking back at Aaron and saying bye. 

He says it like he means it. He smiles.

Liv goes to speak again but Aaron sees the way Mr Sugden’s waiting and tells her to get in his car. She goes after saying sorry again and Aaron expects to be told off.

“You weren’t meant to even know really.” Aaron says awkwardly and that only makes it all worse.

“So you were going to make my son lie about you two being alone in my home?” It’s really too fucking close to home for Aaron to even hear so he pushes right past him and gets to the door. “I could have called the police.”

Aaron scowls as he turns back around and the stupid idiot has a hand on his hip. 

“But you didn’t.” Aaron says. He goes to speak again and then Seb’s standing at the stairs and Robert stares up at him. 

“Seb, come on, go back to bed.” He says. “He should have been in bed by now.” He turns back to Aaron who just mouth wordlessly.

What should he know? He hasn’t got the smallest clue what time a twelve year old goes to bed.

He’s good with babies, give him a baby and he’ll do great. This? Not so fucking much.

“I’m not a kid dad.” Seb says when his dad ushers him away.

“I should go.” Aaron says awkwardly.

“Yes. You should.” Mr Sugden still looks overwhelmed which _granted_ is allowed considering how he’s made his entrance. He steps back, convinces himself to just fucking look away from him.

And he does. He gets back into the car and drives off back home.

“Don’t say anything.” Aaron says as Liv goes to apologise. 

 

—

 

He’s not ignoring her; they’re siblings though so they’re allowed to get pissed off and be petty.

He’s not even that angry at her really. It’s not her. It’s the dad.

“Is he always like that?” He’s asking, pitting in a pizza and waving a hand in her face so she has to take out her earphones. She tilts her head at him and he repeats himself.

“Like what?” 

He does this weird dance with his shoulders and she laughs. “Sort of.” She wrinkles her nose up. “He’s nice. He liked me.”

Aaron tuts. “Stop being dramatic.”

“Well it’s been nearly a week and I’ve not been called again so ...” Liv slings her bag over her shoulder and sighs. “I’m going library.”

She slams the door and five minutes later someone’s knocking on it. 

And it’s him. 

“What are you doing here?” Aaron blurts out. He’s braver than he thought he’d be about this, but he isn’t freezing around him so that’s a bonus.

“Think I should apologise for the other night.” He says. Aaron’s eyes flicker and he fights back a smile like he hasn’t spent a considerable amount of time thinking about him. “I overreacted.”

Aaron frowns. “I’d have been the same, if I had kids, you know which I don’t —“

“Are you going to invite me in?” 

Aaron’s mouth turns dry but he manages to nod slowly. He watches him look around the place, he sees that he isn’t wearing a suit anymore but he’s got this blazer on with a pair of jeans. 

He’s staring when he looks at him again. “Nice place.”

“Smaller than yours.” It’s weird really. He’s been in his house without him to watch his kid. It’s just weird. 

The man ducks his head. 

“Look, Mr Sugden ...”

He doesn’t expect him to laugh, low and soft and more like Seb’s than he realised. 

“What?”

“I’m not a teacher.” He says. “It’s Robert.” He seems so much more relaxed than he was the other night, sticks a hand in his pocket and nearly smiles at him.

Aaron’s head feels fuzzy against it.

“Seb loves Liv.” Robert says seriously, he blinks up at Aaron. “She’s amazing with him, I don’t want her to stop doing that.” 

Aaron’s shoulders sag in relief.

“I promised Seb’s mum he’d be happy and he is around her.”

Seb’s mum. The balloons pop. He’s back down to earth again and he clears his throat, nods his head and stops staring at him like an idiot.

“Right well, she’s busy with uni stuff but she’d be more than happy to help out.” Aaron says. “She’ll ring you or whatever.” He tries to keep cool, folds his arms and then unfolds them again. 

“Seb liked you too. Which is weird.” 

“Because I’m weird?” He wonders if his face is turning red.

Robert scowls. “What? No. Not that.” He looks like he’s struggling and so Aaron offers him a tea. He asks for a coffee instead and Aaron doesn’t want to see his face when he pours out the discount shit he’s got. Thankfully he doesn’t say anything about it, or about the chipped mug he’s given him.

“He doesn’t take to new people well.” Robert eventually says, pile of biscuits between them now and Aaron licks the cream from his custard cream before nodding.

“I sort of got that.” He says. “Not being funny or anything.” He says hastily. Only Robert doesn’t take offence at his words this time. Instead he just sort of smiles at him. 

“He wanted to ask when you’d be back.” Robert’s looking down at the rim of the chipped mug and Aaron’s eyes flicker.

“Could always show up whenever Liv’s got too much on.” He shrugs with one shoulder and waits. Robert looks up at him and frowns. 

“You’d do that?”

“If you need it.” Aaron says. “Rather that then Liv losing her job.” He says. “Which she loves by the way.” He gets in there. “You clearly work a lot so ...”

Robert tilts his head. “Mostly in the evenings. I’ve got meetings or events or whatever.” He says.

Aaron wants to mention Seb’s mum but he doesn’t. Instead he grabs another custard cream and watches Robert sip his coffee.

He’s got freckles like Seb. They’re more visible near his eyes. 

He looks away when Robert stares up at him. “I should go.” He says. “Busy.”

“Yeah same.” Aaron just blurts out when in reality he’s got the day off. Adam’s been left to his own devices God help him. He stands when Robert does and then Robert shakes his head awkwardly.

“Sorry for the other night.”

“Sorry for it looking like I was breaking in.” Aaron says. “You should check that door you know?”

Robert looks affronted, but not in an angry way. “The cheek.” He says, he does this weird thing with his tongue and Aaron nearly passes out. 

“So I’ll let Liv know.” Aaron hangs by the door as Robert gets out. He turns and nods at him. “Bye.” He says, it catches in his throat and he quickly closes the door before anything else gets out of his stupid mouth.

 

—

 

“So you’re a baby sitter now?” Adam finds the whole thing so hilarious and Aaron canonly scowl at him, tell him to shift his arse as he moves a car door towards him.

Adam ducks, nearly knocks his tea over himself as he laughs.

“Liv’s stressed.”

“And you have a job already.” Adam frowns. “Doesn’t he have family who can help babysit the kid?”

And Aaron’s not even sure why it gets him so annoyed. He just frowns, eyes flickering a little. 

“Obviously not.”

Adam finally puts down his cuppa. “Might be a shit dad then.”

Aaron scowls. He knows what a shit dad is and he sort of boils over with it all. “Robert ain’t a shit dad.” He says passionately, only he says _Robert_ and Adam is instantly grinning and making these stupid girly noises.

“ _Robert_ then is it.”

Aaron fights the blush in his cheeks.

“Yep. That’s his name.” 

“You know his name.”

Aaron just doesn’t really know what he’s supposed to say to that. He shakes his head at his friend and Adam laughs. 

“Stop laughing.”

“I just think it’s funny.” Adam says. “You choosing to baby sit some kid just because you fancy his dad.”

He says it and Aaron tries hard not to thump him. Instead he just shrugs his shoulders, calls him a twat.

“I don’t.” He says. “I’m doing Liv a favour. Anyway, aren’t you meant to be on your way to Dublin for that warehouse job?”

 

—

 

“I could go you know.” Aaron says, he’s chewing his nails awkwardly and Liv smirks up at him.

She’s surrounded by coursework again, already fishing her phone out ready to call Robert to cancel.

“Why would you do that?” He panics for the smallest second and then she’s texting someone and he’s off the hook for now. When she raises her head again he just crosses his arms over and shrugs.

“Because you’re obviously busy.” Aaron says. “I told you me and Robert sorted it didn’t I?”

He did, she hugged him and said thanks for making sure she keeps her job. It was sweet.

“If you’re not busy?”

He takes it as a yes and gets round there ten minutes before he needs to. Robert answers he door with a frown on his face and half his shirt done up.

“Oh.” He says fucking Oh and Aaron feels it punch in his gut.

“Liv’s got a lot on.” Aaron says. He scratches his eyebrow awkwardly and his head dips down. “Sorry, I thought it would be ...”

Robert’s standing with all his buttons done up now and Aaron’s trying to look everywhere but his face really. “No. It’s fine. It’s ...” he turns away and looks up the stairs. “Seb!”

The wait is weird, it shouldn’t be weird considering they sat and ate custard creams at Aaron’s. Well Aaron was doing the eating and Robert was doing all the looking like prince —

Seb waves out, asks if Aaron’s looking after him. When Aaron nods back he doesn’t look disappointed. 

“Come inside.” Robert says, he leaves the door open as he walks back in and Aaron takes the place in again. It stands out against the house next door, looks clearly like they’ve completely ripped it apart and built it up again.

“This place is mint.” He says, like he’s Seb’s age. Robert seems to find it amusing because he smiles and then sits, putting his shoes on. 

“Thanks.” He says, he looks at the island in the middle of the kitchen and then back at Aaron. “He’s been fed so don’t worry about that.” He says.

Aaron wasn’t worrying. He knows how he can be around kitchens, he was going to order in a pizza at _best_.

“Chips.” He suddenly blurts out and it’s just rude how the ground doesn’t swallow him up when he wills it to. Instead he has to deal with Robert’s confused face.

“Sorry?”

“Last time ... Seb ... there were some chips left and we had them.” He wants to know when he turned into Paddy, he wants to find out right now.

Robert stops doing his laces and then looks up, styles his hair in the mirror. “Oh right.” He says, like he has to say something to the fucking weirdo who he’s letting babysit his kid for some reason or other.

Aaron spins as he watches him, he keeps watching him. Then he watches him talking to Seb, he’s holding by the chin and shaking his hair and smiling.

It makes Aaron’s heart do something, constrict with a feeling.

“Right, I’ll see you later.” He kisses Seb’s head. “I wrote my number down if you need me, if I don’t pick up or anything then ...”

“Seb’s mum? Yeah it’s fine.” He imagines her being really tall and elegant and blond. His eyes dart towards a picture of someone on the mantelpiece, she looks a lot like a hippie, nice enough. He supposes it’s her and nods towards it. “That her?” He asks, tries to be casual as he asks and Robert just stares at him awkwardly. Aaron looks at Seb for some explanation and his eyes are all sad suddenly. 

“Um she ... she died.” 

And of course she did. Aaron’s mouth drops open and he shakes his head. “I’m so sorry.” His eyes get all watery when he looks at Seb who just shakes his head back at him.

“You weren’t to know.” Robert says. He looks sad, like he’s been bought back to a bad place because of Aaron. He visibly shakes it off when he looks outside and sees his cab waiting. “I should go.” He says.

He does, head down and Aaron expects Seb to go find a book to read and leave him standing there like a twat but he doesn’t.

“Tree house?”

Aaron smiles back.

 

—

 

He realises that the woman holding onto him in the picture isn’t the same woman as the one in the living room.

He decides against trying to work things out and instead blames Liv for not sitting him down and telling him things to avoid. Somehow it’s her fault, and his stupid mouth’s.

He picks up a toy car and Seb’s already telling him the make and model. 

“You into cars then?” Aaron asks, and he really is, in fact he won’t stop speaking about them all and Aaron stays quiet as he listens. “Not more than Harry Potter though?”

Seb looks conflicted for a second and it’s hilarious. He shakes his head and Aaron wriggles an eyebrow.

“Did you see uh ... the goblet of secrets or whatever was on the other day?”

And maybe he was thinking about Seb as soon as he saw the little kid in the glasses shouting some spells. 

Seb turns bright red. “That’s not what it’s called.”

“Yeah it is.”

“It really isn’t.” Seb looks all seriously, starts talking with his hands about _just_ how wrong Aaron is. 

“But you won’t tell me what it is then?”

“Was their definitely a goblet?” Seb asks.

Aaron frowns, starts playing with the toy car in his hands again. “Well I don’t know. I didn’t watch it all.”

Seb just shakes his head at him and stares out the window for a second before looking back at Aaron.

“You don’t need to look so guilty.” Seb says, waves at the elephant in the room without a care in the world. “About what you said.”

Aaron sighs hard, he’s reminded that Seb’s not seven and he doesn’t need to sugar coat too much around him. He brings his knees to his chest and shakes his head. “Must have been hard, when she died.”

Seb just sort of half shrugs. “I was really little.” He says. “So it’s fine. I’ve got my dad.”

Aaron thinks of Robert for a second too long. “Yeah. You do. He seems pretty cool.”

He doesn’t mean to say that last part because Seb just looks at him like Adam did, a little more subtle though. 

“Cool?”

“Well not cool but ...” Aaron gulps loudly and Seb just frowns, looks like his dad loads.

“That’s what all cool people say, ‘cool’.” He’s joking but it still means he’s at ease around Aaron which continues to be weird. Nice but weird.

“I am cool.”

“You think my dad is.” Seb says, “Liv definitely doesn’t.” He looks down and then up again and smiles. “Don’t worry. I won’t tell him.” He says.

Aaron feels himself blushing again and he shrugs. He looks down at his phone and turns it over in his hands. “What time did your dad say you’re meant to be in bed again?”

Seb’s face falls. “Yeah. Definitely not cool.” He says cheekily before getting down the ladder again. 

 

—

 

Robert comes back around half ten and makes Aaron jump as he comes into the living room. 

“Sorry.” Robert whispers. He settles down a brief case that Aaron didn’t even realise he’d taken and then asks after Seb.

“In bed. Probably reading or somethingbut ...”

“At least he’s in bed.” Robert says. “Seems to think he’s too old for a bed time.” He looks out of his depth about it. Aaron can’t help but feel for him a little now he knows Seb’s mum isn’t around. “Do you think he is?” 

Aaron goes to speak and Robert waves a hand out.

“Sorry. You don’t even know him.” Robert says, and Aaron shuts his mouth against it and gets his coat. 

“How was your ... thing?”

“Drinks meeting.” Robert says, “Pointless.” He sighs before fishes out some money from his wallet. Aaron stares down, tells him it’s fine. “Is this about what you said earlier?”

His face is instantly red and he looks away.

“Aaron, you weren’t to know.” Robert says, it makes Aaron’s legs feel weak and heavy at the same time. The way he looks at him, focuses on him. “I already said.”

Aaron blinks out. “Yeah I know, it’s just ...” He feels for them, feels _sorry_ and he usually doesn’t give a shit about anyone other than his family. Nothing else is his business. “It explains a lot.” 

Robert’s face falls a little and he gets out a bottle of whiskey, settles it on the table before pouring out a glass.

Aaron just stands awkwardly before Robert speaks. 

“He’s different.”

“Not in a bad way.” Aaron says quickly. “He’s brilliant.” He says it, he means it.

Robert looks up and smiles faintly. “You think so?” 

Aaron sits down on the edge of the chair and it’s so soft that he falls into the chair properly and has to gulp hard. Robert just sort of smiles at him and it’s a lot to deal with.

“Yeah. I do.” Aaron says.

“He’s always been sensitive.” Robert says. “He’s always missed out on a mum. I know what they can do.” He looks almost haunted as he speaks and Aaron’s eyes flicker. 

He leans forward on his heels a little. “He’s always had you though. That’s what he told me earlier.” 

Robert makes this soft little sound, looks like a right _dad_ really and Aaron smiles at him. 

“Yeah he’s a good kid.” Robert sips at his whiskey and then pulls a face before his eyes widen. “Shit do you want one?”

“I’m driving.”

“Oh obviously.” Robert runs a hand through his hair and then sighs as he looks up at the picture of the hippie like woman. “That’s her.”

“She’s ... nice.” Aaron says, and then he wants to stop knowing how to speak altogether. 

“Yeah she was.” Robert says. “We weren’t together.” He bites his lip and stares up. “I was with her sister.”

“Oh.” Aaron says. It should make him see Robert differently but he doesn’t.

“Yeah.” Robert says. “Not planned.” He gulps hard. “Sort of all blew up and she ... she had him and two years later some guy run her off the road and she was gone.” 

Aaron can’t even imagine. “I ...”

Robert waves a hand out. “It’s fine.” He says softly. “We were never anything. But she was his _mum_.” He says.

Aaron just stares at his green eyes, all sad and filled with something he can’t quite reach.

“Sorry.” Robert runs a hand through his hair again and Aaron tells him to stop being daft. Robert pulls out his wallet again and hands Aaron over some notes. 

“Take it. You ... the house is still standing and I didn’t catch you seemingly trying to break in so ...”

“Job well done?” Aaron tilts his head.

Robert smiles. “Yeah.” He says quietly. “Job well done.”

 

—

 

He feels weirdly buzzed when he gets through the door, like he sort of just stares at the stupid thing and holds the frame for a second before turning around and seeing Liv still sitting in the same spot he left her.

She looks up and scowls when he finally shuts the door properly.

“My _God_ , I thought you were breaking in.” She has a hand dramatically to her chest and about three notebooks over her lap.

He frowns at her. “I live her too you know?”

“True. It’s only Robert and Seb’s you break into.” Liv smiles, big and cheesy and enough to get under his skin just the way she wants to. 

He rolls his eyes at her and tells her to do one.

“Alright alright.” She has a earphone dangling about in her hand. “Just a bit of warning next time, like you know, telling me you’re on your way.”

“Oh like you gave me warning that Seb’s mum’s _dead_?”

Liv’s eyes widen, she looks completely caught off guard and she stammers out a sentence. “When did that ... come up?”

“He said something about emergency numbers, I assumed the other one was hers.” He snaps, hand on his hip. “So thanks.”

“Didn’t realise I needed to give you a run through of their life history _God_.” And she’s so dramatic it’s a joke.

“Yeah well, it would have saved a lot of awkwardness.”

Liv frowns. “Bet it was only because you made it.”

“What?”

“You.” She stands now, clearly turning in for the night as she piles her notebooks on top of each other. “You know you’re only there to baby sit?”

It makes something punch at his stomach.

“Duh.” Aaron says, but about four seconds have already gone by and he looks ridiculous. 

Liv’s got a hand on her hip and she sighs. “So how comes you’re back so late?” 

“He had a drink.”

“You had a drink together?”

“I watched him have a drink.” Aaron explains slowly. “Problem?” 

Liv just pulls this face, might as well nod her head suspiciously, and then shrugs. “Nah.” She says. 

“Night then.” He says as she goes. He stays exactly where he is for a second and then a text comes through. 

_Seb said to let you know it’s called the goblet of fire? He expects you to remember it apparently._

He smiles down, feels like an idiot for his over the top reaction.

_Oh this is Robert by the way. Seb’s dad_.

Comes the next one. 

Aaron stares down at it for way too long before he saves the number and decides to go to bed. 

 

—

 

A week goes by and he doesn’t hear anything which is frankly annoying. Liv’s work dies down again and she happily goes to babysit Seb whilst Aaron twiddles his thumbs at home.

He offers to give her a lift. She says it’s fine with a smile on her face and goes.

He does too, heads straight for the pub and spends half the night dealing with Adam and his pissing childish behaviour.

They’re in the middle of playing darts and he mentions of Robert would be any good.

“You’re not funny.” Aaron says, sipping his pint and watching his idiot of a best friend laugh his head off.

“Think I am.” Adam says. “Is he even gay?”

And no he isn’t, which is exactly why he isn’t getting his hopes up. There are no hopes. At all. Not for absolutely anything. 

“No.” Aaron says. “So you can stop your weird little fantasies alright mate?” 

“You never know, could still be worth a try.”

And the thing is, Aaron’s not even admitted to liking him yet and Adam’s already being _this_ annoying about it.

“So now you’ve got it in your head I should try and seduce the dad of the kid I help babysit?” 

Adam scoffs. “Seducing eh?” Aaron looks away. “Looks like someone’s already got some ideas.” 

He rolls his eyes hard and gets towards the bar, knocking right into someone as he goes. 

“Shit sorry.” Aaron says, but the guy doesn’t look sorry at all. He smiles at him. It’s weird. He’s got half his pint on the floor and yet he’s smiling. 

“No worries.” The guy says, and basically he’s after Aaron getting him another drink. So he does, and they talk, and he’s names Liam. 

He’s nice. Tall. Black short hair and brown dark eyes. 

He’s after a date tomorrow and when Aaron hesitates over the whole thing he asks if he’s single and he still fucking hesitates like a loon. 

“No! I’m ... single.” Aaron says. 

“Good. Meet you here tomorrow then? About six?”

Aaron nods slowly and tries to get over the fact that he’s bagged himself a date. 

Adam shakes his shoulders as he comes towards him and then smiles. “Alright I’ll ease off the Robert teasing.”

“What?” Aaron looks up blankly.

“Obviously got it wrong if you’re going on dates.” He slaps Aaron’s shoulder again. “Good for you mate.” He says. “It’s about time you get back out there.” 

It feels like a dig. Aaron just rolls his eyes against it and remembers how he’s spent a lot of his time on looking after Liv. 

“Robert who?” Adam laughs. Aaron doesn’t.

 

—

 

Liv’s world is ending because apparently she’s got too much stuff plagiarised on her work and she doesn’t know where it’s come from. She’s freaking out about it, got Gabby over to work her through taking things out as the deadline looms.

“You’ll do it, it’s fine.” Aaron says, because he has no idea what she has to do really despite her shouting it at him three times.

“How could I miss it?” Liv says. “I’ve had months to do this and now ...”

Her phone goes and Aaron sees that it’s Robert. Then she swears and runs a hand through her hair.

“Is everything ...”

He’s standing by the mirror, debating on how much gel is too much gel and thinking about this date he’s got with Liam. The silence rings out when Robert suddenly stops calling.

He turns around and stares. “Liv what’s with the face?”

“Meant to be babysitting Seb again.” She says, “I can’t. I’ve got too much to do.”

Aaron feels something leap in his chest and then he gulps hard. “Liv I’ve sort of got a ...”

Gabby’s great, she smirks and everything. “A _date_?”

Liv frowns, unsure or uneasy or something. 

“Is it really that hard to believe?”

The short answer is probably yes. He gets his fair share but he hardly tells her anything. No one has ever been that serious to tell her. 

He had a doctor two years ago, Liv liked him, then she just thought he was alright so it was fine when things fizzled into nothingness. 

“Oh.” Liv tucks her hair behind her ear. “OK.” She says.

He bites his lip, stares in the mirror for a second and then watches her go to call Robert. He suddenly spins.

“Don’t worry. I’ll go.”

“Your date?” Gabby says.

“Yeah well .... I only met him yesterday, he’ll understand.” Aaron says. He grabs his black bomber jacket he was going to wear and feels like a twat for wearing one of his good shirts to go sit in a tree house for a couple of hours. 

“Thanks Aaron.” She calls out as he gets towards the door. He wishes her luck on whatever crisis she’s having and breathes out steadily as he goes.

 

—

 

He feels weird on the drive there, nervously giddy about the fact that he’s seeing them again.

Seeing Robert again.

Robert the guy who isn’t gay. Or interested in him at all. 

He wants to know when his life came to this point but then when he pulls up and sees Robert through the glass window he doesn’t really care anymore. 

He realises what Adam’s already realised. 

He likes him. He really likes him. Seriously. Stupidly. Annoyingly.

He’s not just fit. He wishes that’s all he thought of him. He breathes out deeply as he thinks about it and then gets out the car and towards the house.

Robert answers, he’s wearing a lilac shirt and jeans and looks relatively more casual than he usually does.

“Ah.” Robert says, and he needs to stop doing this whenever he answers the door. 

“Liv’s got some work crisis thing.” Aaron waves a hand out. “Uni.” He tries to explain. 

Robert nods slowly before telling Aaron to come in. He does, sights Seb sitting on the sofa reading a book. He waves out to him and the boy waves back. He looks happy to see him. 

 

If Robert looked at him like that he’d probably faint.

“Hope she’s not under too much stress.” Robert says. “Liv.” He explains when Aaron just stares at him.

“Oh yeah right. No she’s, she’ll be fine.” Aaron says. “So, going anywhere nice?”

Robert nods, “Sort of got a date.”

And Aaron tries to hide the way his face falls.

“Right.” Aaron says. His voice is weird and tight and he tries to keep his thoughts clear in his head. “Going anywhere nice?”

“Just getting something to eat.” Robert says. “I don’t know why I’m nervous.” 

Aaron frowns. He doesn’t know either. “You seen her before?”

“Couple of times.” Robert says. “She doesn’t know about Seb though. I’m telling her tonight.” He blinks softly at Aaron. “Think she’ll run?”

“She’d be mad too.” Aaron says that. It actually comes out of his mouth and flickers through the air. Fucking fantastic. 

Robert blinks at him, the corners of his mouth lifting into a little smile.

“Because Seb’s a great kid.” Aaron tries. He really tries to reign it back, switch it up. 

“Cheers Aaron.” He says, and then he’s going, promising to be back before eleven.

Aaron leans back against the wall dramatically until Seb comes around the corner. “Dad made chips again? Said to save you some.” 

 

—

 

He eats the chips with a weird pout on his face and Seb puts on a film for them like he’s the adult.

“What’s wrong with your face?” He asks and Aaron shakes himself.

“Nothing.” Then he pauses and turns towards the boy. “So your dad’s on a date then.”

Seb doesn’t even seem fazed. “He does that. Nothing happens.”

“What do you mean?” 

“He thinks it’ll make me happy or something, to see him go out and enjoy himself. It’s not for him.” Seb looks a little awkward about it, plays with a cushion. 

“How do you know that?” Aaron asks, Seb looks unsure of whether to say anything and then he does. 

“Heard him tell my aunt he thinks I need someone else.”

“Like a step mum?”

Seb face crinkles up. “I don’t know.” He says heavily. “I just want him happy. Not just trying to make _me_ happy.”

Aaron thinks the world is probably weighed down on the twelve year old’s shoulders. He doesn’t like the thought at all. “Oi. That’s not your responsibility to think about stuff like that.” 

Seb nods slowly like he’s been told that before.

“It’s only me and him now though.” He says. “Maybe that’s why it never goes anywhere with anyone, because of me.”

Aaron feels for him something mad, he reaches out and holds his shoulder. “Because you’re way too brilliant?”

“Thought you were going to say cool then.” Seb cringes and he’s smiling a little.

Aaron feels better for it.

 

—

 

Seb’s in bed by the time he’s playing about on his phone. He sees a text from Adam telling him that Liam showed up looking for him. 

He closes his eyes hard against it and then the door goes, key in the lock and Robert walks in. 

He goes straight to the living room and takes his coat off, slumps it against the chair and tries to smile. 

It’s only just gone ten.

“How was ...”

Robert dips his head down. “Didn’t think much of me having a twelve year old son.” 

Something sort of burns straight through him, this fucking anger and he scowls fiercely.

“She what?”

Robert’s self confidence plummets right in front of his eyes really as he bangs on about not blaming her, taking too long, building it up and watching her react in this blunt way about it. 

“She has no fucking right to be like that.”

Robert’s eyes widen, he’s probably shocked by the way Aaron’s being. Aaron realises, tries his best to reign it all in again.

“Sorry.” Aaron says quickly, he’s bright red and Robert just stares at him. “Just weird to think people are like that these days. Seb’s a credit to ya.”

He’s just spilling out all this stuff and Robert starts to blush.

“Didn’t realise you were so ...”

“Not a burglar?” 

Robert smiles faintly. “Yeah.” He says, almost like he can’t get it out properly, whatever it is he wants to say.

Aaron stands, reaches for his bomber jacket and slides it on. He turns and catches Robert staring.

“You look nice.” He says, in this really innocent way. 

“Yeah well I was meant to be on a date but ...”

Robert looks all guilty. “You should have —“

“It’s fine.” Aaron waves a hand out and Robert sighs.

“Turns our neither of us ended the night the way we wanted to.”

Aaron thinks he means sex so his face turn bright red and he has to gulp hard as he imagines.

“I should go. Got work early tomorrow.” Aaron says.

“Oh yeah sure sorry.” He hands him his money and Robert walks him towards the door. “Thanks.” He says as Aaron gets out the door.

“Me and Seb had fun, it’s fine.”

“For the other bit. About the date. What you said about Seb and stuff.”

Robert looks like the sort of man who people don’t really believe in all that much. 

Aaron nods slowly. “It’s fine.” He says, before he heads towards his car and shudders.

 

—

 

His mum overhears Adam berating him about this stupid missed date and she says he must need his head examining.

Of course she’s ridiculous like that. He doesn’t need anything from anyone. 

It’s been a week and a half and he isn’t counting but Liv hasn’t had to babysit for ages now. 

He isn’t counting. He really isn’t. 

“Liv needed me to look after Seb.”

Chas pulls a face. “You picked looking after some kid over a hot date?”

He just stares at her blankly and then she waves a hand out and drops it.

 

—

 

Liv’s interviewing people for her coursework when Robert sends her a text and she looks over at him. 

 

He’s in the middle of his dinner and she just gives him these eyes. 

“What?”

“Robert’s got this event thing, can you stay for like an hour and then I’ll come and take over?”

So he says yes, shows up a little too early and blames all the green lights he got instead of him wolfing down his dinner. 

Seb opens the door, head in a book as always and Aaron can’t help but comment. 

“You’re going to turn into a book.” He says, he supposes it’s better than what he was getting up to at his age. Seb smiles, shrugs it off and asks if Aaron wants a drink.

He goes to reply when he sees Robert coming down the stairs. He’s wearing a tux. It really just isn’t that fair is it? 

He stares at him, he keeps staring at him for ages and he knows it but he also can’t look away. He’s really beautiful.

“Aaron?” Seb shouts and he jumps back a little and turns to the boy. He nods against something he doesn’t even know and then Robert smiles at him, adjusts his bow tie in the mirror.

“Bit naff this right?” Aaron gulps. “Bit.” He says. “Liv said you had a work thing?”

“Yeah. Stupid boss of mine thinks we should all prance around like idiots to celebrate a deal done.” He says.

“He’s clearly proud.”

“Like he’s done any work.” Robert mumbles. He pulls a hand through his hair and then pulls a face like he isn’t pleased. Aaron thinks he probably had a lot of confidence once, he thinks a lot of it has gone now. 

“You look ... great.” Aaron says. He doesn’t give out compliments. He hates receiving them even more but yet he can’t stop himself against it. It sort of blurts out and he blames Robert. 

Robert spins, smiles shyly and thanks him. “Have a good night you two.” He calls out, mainly to Seb really but Aaron nods along like a prat.

He goes and Aaron watches his car drive away, only spins round a good thirty seconds later and that’s to Seb looking at him with a smirk on his face. 

He doesn’t say anything until they’re up in the tree house and Aaron’s flicking through a car magazine Seb’s got.

“You like my dad?” It’s a question, but it isn’t one at the same time. It makes Aaron want to run away and never come back but he can’t do that because he’s meant to be an actually adult these days.

“I ... what?” Aaron asks and then he shrugs. “Yeah he’s alright.”

“Not like that.” Seb says, legs crossed over. “Like. Like like.” He’s still a kid, Aaron realises. “You don’t need to lie.”

“I haven’t said anything.”

“Not denying it then.” Seb says cheekily. Aaron’s mouth opens and then he closes it again. “Don’t think he’s into blokes that much.”

Aaron’s head lifts up so quickly he nearly cranes his neck. “That much?” He whispers.

Seb smirks again. “He had a date with some man a few years ago. Saw them snogging from my window, it was gross.”

“Him liking blokes too?”

“No.” Seb says seriously. “Just seeing him kissing anyone. Anyways, I don’t think he knew I saw.” 

Aaron gulps hard. 

“He’s more into women.” Seb sounds like a middle aged man when he speaks. “Statistically.”

“Brilliant.” Aaron mumbles. 

“So you do like him?” Seb folds his arms over and tilts his head. “Tell me I’m wrong then.”

Aaron doesn’t say anything for the longest while and Seb is still smirking. “It doesn’t mean anything.” He can’t even believe he’s having this conversation. “I shouldn’t be doing this, you’re _twelve_.”

“Yeah. I’m not a kid.” 

Aaron smiles for a second, sees so much of Liv in him and he realises that her personality has probably rubbed off on him after always seeing him.

“That’s what kids say.” Aaron’s eyes are beady all of a sudden but he’s still joking and Seb still laughs. 

“I’m serious.” Seb says, “I don’t ... have a problem with it. Duh.” He half shrugs. “I just want my dad happy.”

Aaron leans over and puts a hand on Robert’s shoulder, squeezes for a second before moving away again. “He’ll find someone.”

“You.” 

“Not ... me.” Aaron says. 

“My dad’s never been with someone for longer than two months. He wants someone. I know it.” Seb’s getting way ahead of himself here and Aaron panics. 

“Listen it won’t be with me. I think he’s ... good looking.” He tries to put it mildly, spare the kid of dreaming of a happy family or whatever. All of that scares the shit out of him. “But that’s it. That’s all.” 

Seb gulps. “So you just ... fancy him?”

Aaron turns bright red. “Seb I’m not having this conversation.” He rubs a hand across his face and laughs nervously. “It’s nothing. Honest.”

It is something. He’s just not telling him a thing about it.

 

—

 

Liv’s work dies down and for once he’s thankful about it because now Seb knows that he fancies his fucking dad. He’s also thankful that he doesn’t really know how deep his feelings go. 

They’re sort of deeper than a puddle. Maybe lake level. No where near an ocean.

Liv comes back, talks about Seb being as good as gold and Aaron tries to not to think about him or his dad.

He goes out on a well deserved night out instead. He snogs some guy called James and gets his number. He tries not to feel bad about it. 

 

—

 

Robert messages him directly the day later. Hangover at its finest. He mentions having to go out, if he could come over for Seb.

He hastily agrees and Liv says something about writing up a presentation. He hardly hears as he types back a reply.

 

—

 

 

Robert comes back with a bottle of something for Aaron, some weird looking beer which is probably worth way too much.

He hands it over and Aaron pulls a face.

“My boss said to give it to you, said it was all very modern that a bloke was looking after my son.” Robert seems a little merry, and Aaron smiles.

“What is it you do?” He’s not asked him that, he’s been to his house seven times now and he’s not even asked him that.

“I own a haulage business.”

“But you have a boss?”

Robert wrinkles his nose up. “It’s complicated.” Aaron takes it as a cue to leave but then Robert actually opens his mouth. He sits on the sofa and looks at Aaron. “It _was_ mine, all mine, but when Seb’s mum died I had to take him on full time and it wasn’t working so ... I had to split the company. All of this is Rebecca’s money.” He waves a hand out. “Sort of hate it all.” 

Aaron frowns. “Why?”

“Because it makes me look like someone I’m not.”

Aaron knows that feeling, he’s dealt with it, had it crawl around and take over and make everything feel like shit. 

“A success.” Robert says sadly. He lifts his head a little and apologises.

“You don’t need to do that.” Aaron says quickly. “Don’t be daft.”

“Yeah. I’ll try not to.” Robert nods and then he’s flashing this smile, only Aaron’s already seen right through it. He reckons that Robert’s spent a good old while trying to be someone he isn’t, living up to whatever it is he knows people want him to be. “It’s sort of hard.”

“I get it.” Aaron blurts out.

Robert just frowns at him.

“Having to ... pretend. Being someone you know you’re not. It’s not fun.” Aaron watches Robert stare at him. “Being _yourself_ , that’s the easy part in the end.”

Robert blinks. “Maybe I don’t like that person. Me.” He says. 

“Well I think he’s ... alright.” Aaron fucking bottles it because he knows he has to. Robert just looks up and his eyes flicker a little. 

“You know what, one night I’ll walk in here and not make you feel sorry for me.” Robert says. He shakes himself and smiles. “Thanks for looking after Seb. How was he?” He tries changing the subject and Aaron lets him. 

He thinks of Seb, he was a little quieter than usual but he didn’t mention anything about it.

“Alright.” He says honestly. “Think he was a bit tired, he went up early.” 

“Probably missing Liv. Sick of seeing ya now.” 

Aaron’s heart lunges and doesn’t sit right again until Robert takes it back and laughs. He laughs along too, all nervous and stupid. 

“Well she’s planning on taking a break, treating herself with her mate.” They’re in Paris next week of all places celebrating the end of coursework before their exams start up again. 

Aaron tells her about whatever coursework she’s nearly finished, tries to at least and Robert seems to get it. He lights up when he talks about her which is nice but also embarrassing when Robert points it out.

“Is it just you and her?”

“Well her mum lives in Ireland but she sort of lives with me and ... then she lives with her sometimes.” Aaron says vaguely. 

“Her mum?” Robert says and Aaron gulps hard. “Sorry, I just ...”

“Different mums. Same ... dad.” Aaron says, cheeks reddening. It suddenly feels hot in the room and he tries to relax under it. Robert has this stupid ability of making him feel crazy and yet safe at the exact same time. “Who isn’t around.”

“Mum’s are better.” Robert says softly. 

“Always.” Aaron says. “My mum’s ridiculously overprotective but ...”

“Better than her not being around anymore.” Robert says. Aaron’s face falls and he leans over, he touches his hand for the smallest second in the whole world before moving it away. “Don’t say sorry. It’s fine.”

“I ...” Aaron sort of wants to wrap his arms around Robert and never let him go. He realises it really is just him and Seb then. 

“I still see my sister though. In fact, seeing you and Liv made me ring her the other day. You could be out of a job if she moves closer to me like she said she would.”

Aaron doesn’t say anything back.

 

—

 

Seb’s different.

He’s quieter than usual and Robert tells Aaron as much before he’s on his way out. He blames school, he turns into the biggest dad Aaron’s ever met and it’s endearing.

“How about I have a word?” Aaron asks, and Robert seems touched by it. Aaron tries not think about his reaction for too long. Instead he watches him go, waits for a bit and then cautiously climbs the stairs to Seb’s room.

He knocks once, and then twice and Seb still doesn’t answer.

“Mate, it’s Aaron. Your dad’s finalising some weird contract thing. So I’m here.” He isn’t used to this, so he just sort of sits exactly where he is and waits.

“I can’t cook, we both know that but I can try.” 

The door opens slowly and Seb looks like he’s about five years old. He has some big grey jumper on, headphones in and he just frowns. 

“Don’t try.” Seb whispers. “I’m fine.” 

Aaron frowns. He’s kneeling on the ground and he tilts his head up. “You’re not.” He says. “Think I know you a little better than to believe that.”

Seb gulps. “School’s ... school.” He shrugs. 

And Aaron nods slowly. “Come down, we can uh ... watch a film or something?” 

They end up watching some Marvel one and Seb’s a nerd about that too. Aaron’s waving around a bowl of popcorn and he takes some cautiously before going on about something happening on screen.

Someone’s flipped over a helicopter with ease or something. It’s impressive apparently.

When it’s nearly finished, Seb turns to Aaron and gulps hard like he’s working up the courage to say something. 

“Do you box?” 

Aaron turns to him. “What?”

“Like boxing.” Seb says awkwardly.

Aaron’s had weirder questions asked so he just pulls his arm across the other and frowns. “Yeah. When I was younger, why?”

Seb suddenly bottles up, shakes his head and tells Aaron to forget he asked. 

“No hang on, it’s alright. Do you want to watch boxing?”

Seb just keeps shaking his head over and over again. He looks sad, settled in it somehow and Aaron feels this overwhelming need to be there for him. To protect him or something. It’s like it’s _Liv_ he’s trying to get through to. 

“No, look, I’m fine.” Seb says. “I think I should go to bed or something.” He goes to stand, gets towards the edge of the sofa and Aaron pulls his arms back. “Seb hang on.”

He winces back quickly and Aaron’s eyes widen. He sees what he sees and it really can’t be unseen. It’s Seb’s arms, filled with bruises. 

“Seb.” Aaron whispers. “Mate, is that ...”

Seb’s eyes are almost instantly filled with tears and there’s freckles scattered across his face that are even more visible than usual. “Don’t tell my dad.” He whispers. “Please.” 

He leans forward and collapses into Aaron’s chest, he rubs a hand across the small of Seb’s back as he breathes out deeply and fights not to cry. 

“I’m here, it’s ... it’s fine.” He whispers gently. He’s still here when Seb looks up, moves away slightly and leans out against the sofa. “Someone did that to you?” 

Seb rubs at his eyes. He didn’t cry but he clearly came close and he looks almost embarrassed by it. He nods his head slowly and then sighs.

“Someone at school?”

Seb frowns. “I didn’t know how to ... fight back.” He mumbles. “Because I’m weak.” 

He sounds like Robert, it makes Aaron’s blood boil over with anger.

“No you’re not. You’re sweet. They took advantage of that, clearly.” Aaron bounces his leg. “Who are they?” 

Seb just rolls his eyes. “Don’t be like my dad.” He sighs. “He can’t know because he’ll be like this about it.” Seb says. 

“He has the right to know.” Aaron says slowly. “He can help.”

“You can.” Seb says like it’s nothing. “You can teach me how to fight back.”

“Seb ...”

“Aaron please, it’ll get them off my back.”

Aaron shakes his head. “I can’t do that.” He says. “And hold on — how many of these idiots are we talking about?” 

Seb looks away.

“Seb.”

He sighs.

“Sebastian.” Aaron glares. 

“God are you my dad or what?” Seb snaps.

Aaron puts on his soft voice because he doesn’t know what else he’s supposed to do. “I can help you, if you tell me.”

Seb does, eventually he gets out there there’s a group of boys who are picking on him just because. Aaron wants to knock some sense into them and he knows he shouldn’t feel so strongly about it but he does.

Seb’s sweet, clever, probably has a sharp tongue that makes the idiots have to use their fists to shut him up. 

Aaron hovers a hand out and then it falls flat against Seb’s head and he smiles reassuringly at him. “We’ll sort it.” He says. He means it. 

“You could give me boxing lessons? I’ll tell dad I’m interested and you want to help me.”

“Seb.” Aaron says. “I ain’t a boxing coach.”

“No but you’re Aaron.” Seb says. It makes Aaron feel loved in this weird way and he settles the feeling right down in his chest, as far as it can disappear. “I just need your help. Please.”

He pulls a face. 

Aaron can’t say no.

 

—

 

Only the thing is, he really should have.

“Boxing?” Robert’s saying, he’s watching Seb get into Aaron’s car and it’s strange because the sun is out and it’s them going somewhere and Robert staying at him. “Didn’t know you did that.” He has his arms folded and Aaron’s eyes flicker.

“Man of many talents me.” Aaron says, maybe he’s flirting but it’s all different now he knows Robert likes dick sometimes. 

Robert rolls his eyes and leans a little closer as Seb gets into the car. 

“Look out for him yeah.” Robert says.

Aaron tries to brush it off by wriggling his eyebrow. “Don’t you trust me with him?”

“Of course I trust you.” Robert says. “Pretty much turning into family.” He seems shocked that he’s even said that and Aaron doesn’t know how to feel. Family is a big fucking thing to say and it also feels like being friend-zoned. Family zoned. It’s new but of course Aaron’s experiencing it. 

“Right.” He says, voice quiet as he starts the car and waves a hand out towards Robert as they drive off. He can’t stop thinking about it all and Seb doesn’t help when he smirks at him. “What?” He asks as they turn the corner.

“Oh nothing.” He says.

“Oi. Just keep your mouth zipped.” Aaron says, fights a smile. 

 

—

 

Of course Seb needs a lot of work, a lot of help. He’s scared of hurting anyone, he’s all weedy and pink when he gets his boxing gloves on.

But he’s getting better, with time and all that.

“That’s it!” Aaron says, and then Seb lands a punch to his stomach and it actually hurts. “That hurt, mate, that actually hurt.”

“Is that ...”

“Well done then!” Aaron’s saying, his eyes are wide and filled with all this pride and Seb jumps up a little.

He looks happy. It’s been a long time coming to see him look so happy.

“Have they stopped?” Aaron asks, a few weeks later and desperate for it to have died down now. 

Seb smirks. “It’s not as bad as it was before. Now I push back.”

The Dingle in Aaron wants to let Seb drink from the welly.

“You’re really great with him.” Robert crosses his arms over as Aaron drops him off home again. He looks like he’s almost in awe, but Aaron doesn’t want to think like that. 

He shrugs awkwardly. “It’s him, he’s a quick learner.”

“Well he’s building his confidence up. Thanks to you.” Robert’s got his back against the wall, hips almost tilted outwards and Aaron really wants to _kiss_ him. Yeah he’s in it enough now to know that he wants to kiss him, that Robert is attractive and he _wants_ him. It’s just a little overwhelming right now. 

It’s so overwhelming that he misses the part where he invites him to stay for tea.

“What?”

“Dinner. I made dinner. If you want to stay.”

Aaron just looks down at himself. “Sort of stink.”

“Sort of have a shower?” Robert smirks. Aaron pictures himself sitting with them, cozy and soft and a little bit of what he knows he wants for a long time. But in a really different fucking way. The feelings almost too much. “Come on, I made homemade chips.”

And of course he did.

Aaron’s eyes flicker, he nods his head lightly and Robert holds the door open for him.

 

—

 

Robert talks about things other than work and it’s like music to Aaron’s ears. He’s a traveller and he wriggles an eyebrow when Aaron mentions living in France.

He doesn’t exactly say why but Robert doesn’t seem to care.

“So you can speak french?”

Aaron pulls a face and Seb laughs at him. 

“I got by.” 

Robert waves a hand out. “Fair enough.” He says, he smiles, soft and heavy and like he can’t do anything but.

He has his feet stretched out under the table, brushed right against Aaron’s. It makes him blush bright red but he doesn’t move his feet away.

Not once. 

 

—

 

“Sorry I don’t know the ins and outs of _Tunisia_ there pal.” Aaron’s a little merry because Robert had the nerve to give him red wine. He said it was good stuff, it tasted weird but he kept drinking it. 

Robert’s cheeks are rosy too and he laughs. “I don’t expect you to but ... I’m talking about a big monu— uh what’s the ...”

“Monument?” Aaron says. He laughs, has to cover his mouth and then he lets go and keeps going. The next thing he feels is Robert’s big hand across his mouth, eyes facing him that are green and bright. 

“You’ll wake Seb.” Robert says, leaning right over and making Aaron’s eyes flicker. He doesn’t know how he’s still breathing like this, in fact, he feels his whole body grow limp as he sits slumped on the sofa. 

Robert pulls away slowly and for the first time in forever he looks at Aaron’s lips, he looks scared and apprehensive as he leans forward and then he leans back again like none of it matters. He clears his throat, moves his hand away and Aaron sits up.

Suddenly sober and alert.

Robert doesn’t say anything, but it’s clear that it’s like he’s just thought about kissing his brother or something which is fucking fantastic. 

“I should be going actually.” He shouldn’t, it’s not like Liv’s going to be a barrel of laughs considering she’s got an exam in the morning. But it’s better than being here, looking at Robert’s face that looks like _that_.

He stands, reaches awkwardly for his jacket and then Seb’s feet are on the landing and Robert says something about checking on him.

Aaron gets to the door, says bye and then tries to look for his shoes as Robert heads upstairs. He looks all dazed and confused and Aaron just wants the ground to swallow him up really. He can’t get his trainers on quick enough.

“Aaron’s still here?” He hears Seb say. 

“He’s leaving now.” Robert says. “He just stayed for a drink.” He doesn’t hear anything and then he hears. “What?” 

“Nothing. Aaron’s real special though, I really like Aaron.” So Seb’s a champ at all this subtlety stuff. 

He shakes his head hard and then opens the door. 

“Yeah. He’s really special.” 

He smiles softly as he shuts the door, tries to be as quiet as he can about it.

 

—

 

He’s at work when Robert calls him. He doesn’t see the first few calls because he’s actually hurling metal around for once. 

So he picks up on the fifth. He asks if everything is alright and Robert just says he needs to see him.

Only he doesn’t sound happy, or relaxed, or anything even remotely like that. He sounds unlike himself.

“Are you okay?”

“Just come to mine.” Robert hangs up and Aaron goes on his lunch break, oily hands and a frown on his face as Robert answers the door. He walks in and then sees Seb sat the kitchen table with a torn shirt and a black eye.

“Seb.” Aaron’s voice is breathless suddenly and Robert just stares up at him.

“You told him to fight at school?” Robert asks. “That’s what the boxing was all about.”

Aaron chews his gum and his face reddens. “Robert, he needed my help.”

“He’s a child.” Robert says. “He’s _my_ child, you have _no_ say on what he needs or how he gets it.” 

Aaron doesn’t even know what to say. He gets it, of course he fucking gets it. He looks over at Seb and shakes his head. “I’m so sorry mate.”

“He was worse.” Seb says. “Dad, he won’t hurt me again now.”

Robert shakes his head against it. “So my son came to you, said he was getting bullied and you didn’t think it was worth telling me?” 

Aaron comes further into the room, he waves a hand out. “I was sorting it. He was ...”

“You were lying to me.” Robert says, his eyes turn shiny and Aaron feels something break in his chest. “I trusted you.”

“Robert, it’s not like that.”

“Dad, I told him not to tell you.” Seb tries, only Robert tells him to go upstairs and he does eventually. He slopes off and Robert shakes his head again, probably in disbelief, and it hurts everywhere.

“I was seriously just trying to help.” Aaron says. “Seb he’s ... he means so much to me.” He’s scared by it. “I thought I was helping.”

“Only now he’s suspended.” Robert tells him. His face falls a little. “Why are you surprised? That’s what happens when you get into fights at school.”

“He was protecting himself.” Aaron defends. “They were bullying him.”

“Yeah and you should have told me!” Robert snaps. “I’m his _dad_. You’re ... you’re nothing to him.”

Aaron gulps hard, something is kicking constantly in his stomach and he can’t get passed it. Maybe he feels alone most of the time, maybe Seb and Robert were making him feel whole again. Like he was a part of something, that he had something for himself.

He suddenly hardens under everything though. “Here more than you are.”

Only that’s really fucking low. Robert’s eyes flicker. “Nice.” He says. “That’s ... wow.”

“I didn’t mean that.”

“No you did.” Robert says. “I get I’m not the best dad in the world but I don’t need some jumped up scrapper to tell me that. Maybe just focus on your own life.” 

Aaron goes to speak and then he bites his lip hard. “Understood.” He says after the longest time, he nods slowly and then subconsciously looks down at his ruined hi-vis and bartered boots. He sniffs, tears swimming in his eyes as he gets out the door.

He sees Seb by his window. He sees him staring down at him and he looks up for a second. He sees him mouth that he’s sorry and he has to look away.

He drives back to work and tries to forget all about them.

 

—

 

Aaron thinks he’s kept a lid on how awful he feels but apparently everyone’s noticed and Liv’s the first to bring it up. 

She kicks his leg and tells him to stop playing his stupid video games and talk to him. She goes through a list of things, possibilities, and then gets to Robert’s name and Aaron looks away.

“So it’s Robert?” Liv sits. “He hasn’t called me for ages about looking after Seb.”

It’s been a week and a half. Aaron’s not counting days or anything. 

“What happened?”

Aaron stays silent and Liv keeps speaking, she asks if they had a fight or something and he tells her to just leave it.

“You’re all sad.” Liv says and Aaron cringes. “You liked him.”

Aaron hates how it’s just sort of public knowledge now. His stupid crush on Seb’s dad is what’s put him here. 

“That doesn’t matter now.”

“Of course it does.” Liv says quickly. He sees her, sees all the pity in her eyes and he stands up, goes towards the door. “Aaron ...”

“Seb was getting bullied alright.” Aaron turns round. “So I tried to help, teach him how to defend himself and then he got into a fight and ...”

“A fight?”

“Robert blames me.” Aaron says. “He should but ... he said stuff and ...” He tries, he’s really trying to stop getting into such a state about everything but it’s hard. “I’m nothing to them, he’s right, I shouldn’t have ever even tried to think that ...”

He doesn’t even need to say anything else, because she understands.

“I thought we could have been something. Maybe. For a second.” He frowns. “I’m an idiot.”

“No you’re not.”

“Just sick of being alone.” Aaron whispers, he feels the air kick his stomach. He has tears welling in his eyes. “Look at me, why was I even kidding myself.”

Liv makes this sound and then she just comes towards him, hugs him tight and at first he hesitates but then he relaxes right into it. He tilts his head into the crook of her neck and eventually pulls away.

“So I take it you’ve lost me a job then?” Liv says, trying to make him smile.

Aaron nearly does. “Think so.” He whispers. 

 

—

 

He’s nursing a pint, letting the condensation run down his fingers and he’s staring into space when his mother leans over the bar.

“What’s with the long face?”

He wants her to go away but she doesn’t. 

“Working on your bar chat?”

“Maybe you should. Could bag yourself a date or something.” He freezes up around the words and something inside him halts when she tilts her head. 

“Don’t want a date.” Aaron says gruffly.

“But the thing is ...” Chas actually leans over further. “I heard through the whole grapevine thingy that you _did_ fancy someone.”

Aaron’s head snaps up. “From who?” 

Chas frowns. “Maybe Adam was saying something ... but I didn’t hear who.” She explains. 

“Didn’t work out.” Aaron whispers into his pint. 

He doesn’t even know why she looks so frustrated but that stupid concern that she’s always had for him is rising all over her face. “Why don’t you ever let yourself be happy hmm?” She knows, everyone knows now so he doesn’t need to say anything back. 

She just sighs, looks all upset with him and then reaches out to hold his hand. He actually lets her. 

“Thought you could settle down, have someone.” Chas says slowly.

Aaron thinks of Robert. He just thinks of him. 

“Yeah well ...”

“You’re scared aren’t ya?” She whispers. “I see it. But you don’t have to be.”

“Mum ...”

“You’re worth loving.” She says. 

He didn’t know how much he needed to hear that. 

 

—

 

He bags himself a date. Different guy. Same hair style. 

Adam’s over the moon about it which is ridiculous because if anything, this Daniel is one million percent a rebound. The idea itself is ridiculous considering he never even had Robert to begin with to try and get over. 

But it feels that way.

And he still misses him. 

Liv says it’s good, that he’s going out there and trying to find love again. She knows about things, she’s old enough now to realise what Jackson made him do, why Ed and him weren’t meant to last, why Alex was so good that he made Aaron walk around feeling guilty.

“This could be good.” She says, tapping away on her laptop and smiling up at him. He looks at her through the mirror nervously, squints.

“Could be.” He says, because he isn’t banking on anything at really. Daniel’s a mate of Adam’s, a friend of a friend who happens to be single right now.

He thinks about it leading to sex. He thinks about how out of practise he is and he wants to run.

Then Liv’s phone goes off and he stares at her whilst she answers. For a second, a really stupid one, he thinks it might be Robert. But it isn’t. 

It’s one of her mates crying about word count or something. That’s all he hears.

“Right, I’m off.” He says awkwardly as he gets to the door. He waves a hand out and she waves back, crosses her fingers for him and everything.

He sort of doesn’t need it when he arrives at the pub. The pub of all fucking places. Daniel’s sort of in awe of the quirky charming little place as he calls it.

Aaron lets him be. He’s fit, nice, he makes him laugh more than once.

But then his phone goes off and he can’t quite believe it. He just stares down at it vibrating against the table. 

“Are you not going to pick that up?” Daniel’s sipping his pint and Aaron can see his mum from the bar practically cooing over him. 

He shouldn’t answer it. Yet he does. Of course he does. 

“Hello?”

“Aaron.” Robert. Robert and his stupid voice fills the air and Aaron’s missed it badly. “Can you ... look Seb’s not coming out of his room. He hasn’t since school.” 

Aaron closes his eyes, feels heavy against how tortured the boy must be. 

“He just won’t talk to me.” Robert sounds like he’s been crying or something, it makes Aaron have to sit back on his chair.

“I ...”

“Please.” Robert says desperately. “Come and see if you can do anything.”

He agrees to it. He actually agrees and Daniel just sort of smiles awkwardly at him until he tries to explain.

“You’ve got a son?”

“What? No. Well, I sort of look after him.”

“You’re a babysitter?”

Chas’ face falls as she sees Aaron standing up and Daniel still sitting. 

“It’s complicated.” Aaron says but then he smiles. “I’ll call ya?” 

Daniel nods. “Sure.” He says.

 

—

 

“Where is he?” Aaron says, after all the staring at Robert for way longer than a normal amount of time when he answers the door. 

Robert’s wearing some navy shirt, he looks good until he steps aside, lets Aaron in and he can see how tortured he is. 

“Upstairs.” Robert says. “Still.”

Aaron climbs the stairs awkwardly and then gets to Seb’s door. He’s been here before, it feels worse now. Robert’s standing close behind him when he knocks.

“Mate it’s Aaron.” He thinks about what Seb’s been told. If he knows Robert made him leave or if he thinks he just abandoned him. “Just came to see how you are.” He turns towards Robert when he gets nothing back. 

Robert sighs, goes to speak and Aaron shakes his head at him.

“I know it’s about the bullying, so does your dad. We just want to help ya.” Aaron leans a hand against the door. “Because we love you.”

Robert’s head turns towards Aaron’s, his eyes widen slightly but he looks soft and warmed by it. 

Aaron knows, he does, he knows that he loves the boy. It’s weird. It’s sobering. It’s making his hands feel itchy but it’s true. 

It must be big enough because Seb slowly cracks the door open and then looks at Aaron before opening it further. He’s still got his school uniform on, eyes filled with tears and face puffy.

“Seb.” Robert says, he comes forward and Seb moves slowly towards him until he’s in his dad’s arms.

Eventually he moves away, they sit on the hall floor and Seb tells them that it’s got worse. They tease him about anything and everything they can find.

“Don’t have a mum. Don’t have any brothers or sisters to help back me up.” Seb looks up towards Robert. “Can’t fight anymore.”

Robert looks awkwardly and sighs. “That wasn’t helping.”

“I was defending myself.”

“You were getting into fights.” Robert says. “Violence isn’t the answer.”

Seb rolls his eyes and Robert looks towards Aaron like he’s asking for help. Aaron clears his throat and scoots forward.

“He’s right Seb.” Aaron says. “Maybe short term but not long term. They come back, you fight again. They get stronger then you get stronger and you end up in real trouble.” 

Seb hugs himself with his knees. “Then what do I do?” He asks. “Can’t do anything.”

Aaron feels how hopeless he is, it resonates with him in this awful way and he comes closer. “You listen to me. We are going to sort this once and for all, we’re telling teachers, parents, pets, whoever.” Seb nearly smiles. “They’re not hurting you again. You hear me?”

Seb nods slowly, eyes shiny. “Okay.” He whispers before he tilts his head towards Aaron’s chest and lets him hug him.

Robert looks on, his eyes are warm, filled with something Aaron doesn’t want to understand. He sees it when Seb’s gone to bed with a hot chocolate and he’s getting his jacket.

“You look really nice.” Robert says, sitting on the sofa and staring up.

“Had another date. I had to run out of this one n’all.” Aaron says, he doesn’t feel bad about telling him now. He doesn’t owe him anything, he never did.

Robert gulps hard against it. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll see him again.”

Robert looks up with wide eyes and Aaron realises that he never really did tell him he was gay. He suddenly feels like he’s going to faint against the way Robert is staring at him. 

He waits for him to say something about it but he doesn’t. Instead he just twists his lip with his teeth.

“I meant for what I said before.” Robert says heavily. “About you, not meaning anything.”

Aaron keeps standing. “Well why? You meant it.”

“I didn’t.” Robert says passionately, he looks up and into Aaron’s eyes. “I was lashing out. If I meant it ... I wouldn’t have called you tonight.”

Aaron pulls a face. “You were desperate.”

“To have you back here. Yeah.” Robert says. He stands slowly and keeps looking at Aaron. “You’d do anything for him which is weird ‘cause … no one really … no one’s cared for him like that before. It’s been me and then … putting up with him.”

Aaron breathes out unevenly. “He’s a good kid.” 

Robert nods slowly, he comes even closer towards Aaron and stares down at his mouth. Aaron tries his best to stay upright against it. 

“You make me nervous.” Robert’s eyes flicker about a million times. “I’m never nervous.” 

Aaron shudders as Robert leans towards him. “Same here.” He whispers. “Look, Robert I ...”

He doesn’t say anything else because Robert’s pushing his mouth against Aaron’s and holding his face as he kisses him lightly. He pulls away and looks at Aaron’s face, eyes wide and face fallen. He takes it as something, he must do, because he smiles and kisses him harder.

Aaron lets him, he feels like he’s dreaming or something because Robert pulls him against the wall and just keeps kissing him.

He doesn’t stop until Aaron pushes at his chest. “Rob ...”

“Rob. I like Rob.” Robert says, he looks almost giddy and Aaron smiles weakly before holding his face.

“Are you sure about this?” 

Robert kisses him again. “I’m sure. Stay.” He says, Aaron’s eyes dart a little and Robert squeezes his shoulder reassuringly. “We don’t have to ...”

“I really want to.” Aaron blurts out because there’s no point in lying when Robert can feel how much he wants him when he rolls his hips. “Just haven’t in a while.” 

He expects Robert to laugh at him but he just nods seriously and then blinks out a smile. “Me either. With a guy.”

Aaron gulps. “We’re nightmares then.” He whispers against Robert’s mouth before kissing him lightly. “Show me your room now.”

 

—

 

Aaron wakes up to an empty bed the next morning. He stretches out in the biggest bed he’s ever slept in and realises that Robert’s not next to him anymore.

He yawns, feels slightly sore and shivers before pulling the covers further over his naked body. 

He smiles as he thinks about the night before, they’d had to be quiet because of Seb but it was amazing. Robert was amazing, all delicate and soft and then really fucking not in the best way possible. 

He made Aaron see stars but he’s not going to divulge that. He looks across at his phone and sees a few missed calls from Liv that he knows he has to answer. He goes to text something when the door opens and Robert’s coming in with a tray of breakfast.

He’s shirtless which is dreamy, only wearing a pair of boxers.

“Are they mine?” Aaron’s voice is croaky as he watches Robert come closer to the bed. 

“Is that all you say?” Robert settles the tray over Aaron’s lap. “I made you breakfast in bed. Mind the crumbs though. Please.” He makes the point of saying.

Aaron grins at him before holding the back of his neck and kissing him hard. 

“Thought you’d gone.” Aaron says as he eats the cute little triangle shaped toast and downs some coffee. Robert frowns. “To work or something. I was about to start looking for a note.”

Robert tuts. “I was taking Seb to school.” 

Aaron’s eyes flicker. 

“As if I’d go.” Robert says. “Last night ... was a long time coming. For me.”

Aaron smirks. “Was it?”

“Not saying that I knew you’d be up for it, I just mean ... I’d thought about it for a long time.” Robert says, and Aaron can’t breathe.

“Uh letting me do that thing with my tongue in ...”

Robert’s bright red and Aaron remembers last night again, long limbs and quiet moans and making each other’s eyes roll back. 

Robert laughs, leans his head against Aaron’s shoulder and Aaron smiles against the freckles over Robert’s body. They’re everywhere, he strokes a hand against some of them and then gulps.

“Minute I saw you, I was gone.” Aaron isn’t this sort of man but he can’t help himself. He knows. He really knows how he feels.

Robert smiles up at him. “Yeah?”

“Then you were off on dates with _women_.” Aaron sips his coffee again and Robert stills slightly.

“I’m ... I like both. I’m bisexual.” Robert says. “Is that a problem for you?”

“Why would it be?” Aaron says. He guessed. He thought it was obvious. “Nothing to do with me is it?”

Robert looks like he could cry, he knows there’s something deeper to it but he doesn’t try to pry right now.

“Seb uh ... never wanted to tell him, thought he’d find it confusing.” Robert plays with Aaron’s hands for a second.

“He just wants you happy.” Aaron says. 

Robert muses on it for a second before smiling.

“You got to go to work like I do?” Aaron mumbles against Robert’s head. He nods and then sighs.

“Not for at least an hour though.” Robert smirks.

“Good.” Aaron says and then he moves the tray off his lap. “Because I’m really naked under here.” He says. 

“Are you now?”

“Yeah.” Aaron says breathlessly and then Robert disappears under the covers and he sees stars again.

 

—

 

He does the whole walk of shame thing but it doesn’t feel like that really. He feels good, he feels like everything he’s ever wanted is coming into place.

He doesn’t need to think about what Liv would think because she knew him before he ever did. She likes him, she loves Seb. 

It’s all fucking good which is scary. 

He closes the door the house and sees Liv smirking at him. He thinks of what Robert said about them meeting later to go and talk to Seb’s teachers and he wonders how he’s supposed to leave again without her smirking at him like this.

They’re not hiding anything, they’re just keeping things slow and steady and that means waiting at least a full twenty four hours until he tells anyone.

“So you stayed out then.” Liv says. “Must have been a good date.”

Aaron plays with his car keys awkwardly and then itches his eyebrow. “Sort of.” He says. “Actually yeah. It was.”

“So you stayed at his?”

Aaron nods slowly. 

“So it was ...”

“Do you really want to know the ins and outs of my sex life Liv?” Aaron snaps, just enough for her to pull a face.

“It’s looking like you didn’t get any from your attitude!” She huffs, actually huffs and then his phone goes off and Robert’s telling him the address for Seb’s school. “Oh actually, you’ve gone all soft. Is that him?” 

Liv is smiling now and he just gulps hard and nods at her again. 

“It’s him.”

She starts asking about where they went to last night, how it was, what he’s like and he can barely keep up when the door goes and his mum stands there with a pout on her face.

“Darling.” She says, eyes big and sad. “Are you okay?”

“He’s great.”

“Liv.”

Chas frowns. “When you were with that bloke last night, I thought things were going well.”

Aaron’s eyes dart a little. “They were.”

“But then why did ...”

“Mum. Not now.”

“If it was going great then why did you run out like that?” Chas has a hand on her hip now and Liv is just frowning away confused by it all. 

He puts his head in his hands awkwardly and waits for Liv to get it.

“So if it wasn’t this bloke you stayed out with then ...” Liv pauses. “Was it —“

“Who?”

“Robert?” Aaron hears his name, struggles against trying to smile as Liv asks him. “Ew Robert.”

“It’s not ew.” Aaron snaps.

“He’s like my brother or — like older _someone_. Seb’s like a little kid brother. Sort of.” Liv says and then she stops as she looks at him. “You and him ...”

He worries for a second and then she actually smiles. 

Chas on the other hand. 

“Robert as in the dad of the kid you mind?” She gets out with a frown on her face and that hand still fixed on her hip. 

Liv nods. “He’s had this crush on him and now ...”

“Now we’re ...” Aaron stops himself because they haven’t really spoken about that and he didn’t want to have to explain them to anyone just yet. Least of all his mother. 

“You had sex.” Chas flaps. 

“Gross.” Liv says, because yep she’s twenty years old but it never stops being weird he supposes. 

Aaron rubs his face again. “I really like him mum. And Seb, he’s amazing too.”

“He’s a dad Aaron.” Chas points out. “He has responsibilities, this is ... big.”

“Well you’re the one who was banging on about me settling down.” Aaron says. 

Chas looks up towards the ceiling and then shudders. “Fair point.” She says. “Must be serious then.” 

He feels the corners of his mouth raise. “I hope so.”

He sees Liv smiling out of the corner of his eye.

 

—

 

He sees Robert waiting by the car when he parks up to the school. He waves awkwardly as he gets out the car and then Robert is coming towards him, kissing him quickly.

“You didn’t have to come.” 

Aaron frowns. “Of course.” He says. “It’s Seb.” He shrugs and Aaron feels Robert have a hand dancing around his. He grabs it for a second. “He’ll be okay you know.”

Robert closes his eyes. “I know.” He says. 

Aaron smiles and then Robert looks towards the building. 

“Come on then.” Aaron coaxes, he walks into the building with Robert and they wait a good while until the teacher calls them in. 

She’s surprised to see Robert with someone, she sort of arches an eyebrow in surprise really and Aaron feels special or something.

Robert pulls a face, Aaron can’t read it. 

“This is Seb’s babysitter.” Robert says. He scoots his chair closer and sighs. “Seb opened up to him about everything.”

The teacher says her name is Ms Matthews and Aaron nods. 

“Everything meaning ... the bullying?”

Aaron nods. “That’s why he had a fight. He was protecting himself.” He says. “They were picking on him because he’s good and kind.” 

Ms Matthews nods slowly and turns to Robert. “I know this wasn’t really his behaviour. He’s usually very sweet.”

Robert blinks. “I should have realised. But Aaron did.” He smiles at him. “He’s told us who they are and something needs to be done about it.” 

Ms Matthews tucks a piece of hair behind her ears and nods. “Well I can speak to them, I’ll try and get to the bottom of it.”

“Try?” Aaron argues, only because she sort of looks like she doesn’t know what to do about it. “You have to make sure they stop this.”

She sort of looks stunned. “Mr —“

“Dingle.”

“Mr Dingle, I’ll try my upmost to get the students to tell me exactly what’s happened. I can’t promise anything at the moment though.”

“Not even his safety?” Aaron says.

Robert crosses his arms and scowls agreeably. “Well?” He looks at Ms Matthews. 

“I’m going to ...”

“No no here’s what you’re going to do, you’re going to speak to them and then you’re going to bring their parents in and make them _see_ that they can’t go around hurting Seb.” Aaron stops for a breather and when he looks up at the woman she’s nodding her head along.

“Right. I will.” 

Aaron leans back. “Good.” He says.

Robert smiles nervously at him.

“You were insane in there.” Robert says as they leave, they might as well collect Seb from school now they’re here so they wait by the gates and talk. “Sticking up for him like that.”

“Yeah well. She clearly wasn’t the full ticket was she? Needed me to help her out.”

Robert scoffs. “She’s new.”

“To what? Knowing that bullying isn’t great.” Aaron feels himself getting worked up over it all and he shakes his head. “What?” He asks when he catches Robert staring. Robert just shakes his head, clearly amused. 

The school bell rings and Seb looks surprised when he comes out and sees Aaron standing there with his dad.

“Told you we were going to sort this out.” Robert smiles, pulls Seb into a hug and the boy shuffles away a little embarrassedbut still smiling. “We spoke to your teacher. She’s going to speak to the boys.”

“And their parents.” Aaron says. “What?” He asks as Seb pulls a face. “This way they get it gameboys or whatever taken from them. See them still being idiots with you after that.” 

Seb looks at Robert and then they both laugh.

“What?”

“Gameboys?” Robert says.

Aaron shrugs and then pulls at Seb until he’s in his arms. He squeezes him until they’re back to the car. 

 

—

 

Robert makes them lasagne. He’s got the wine out and Aaron feels like he’s never really felt before. He feels really safe, content.

He smiles warmly at Robert and he turns and stares at him. “What?”

Aaron gulps. “Nothing.” He shakes himself and then sighs. “By the way, Liv knows. She thought I got off with my date and ...”

“I just remembered yeah ... the date last night.” Robert says.

Aaron’s eyes widen. “Uh yeah. Obviously I ...”

Robert comes further towards him, “Came when I called you about Seb.” He frowns. “In the middle of a date?” 

Aaron smiles faintly as Robert holds his waist. “Still ended up with someone at the end of the night though.”

Robert smirks. “Good for you. Was he decent?”

Aaron pulls a face and Robert slaps his chest before kissing him hard. He only moves away when they hear Seb come down the stairs.

“We should tell him.” Aaron says. “Soon.” He adds when Robert sort of freezes. “Whenever you’re ready.” He backtracks and Robert nods. 

“Yeah.” Robert dips his head and then the oven makes a sound so he’s busy again. 

 

—

 

“Bed.” Robert turns their film off and looks at his son. “I mean it, it’s gone nine.”

“I’m not a kid.” Seb pouts. “Aaron’s here. We have a guest, I can’t just go.”

Aaron smirks when Robert shakes his head.

“He gets that from you.” Aaron says. “Trying to get out of things.” 

Robert just rolls his eyes. “You get one hot chocolate and then you’re going.” He says, wagging a finger about as he stands. 

Seb pulls the duvet over him and looks at Aaron. “Thank you.” He says quietly.

Aaron leans over and grips his knee. “You don’t have to be. Hopefully it’ll all stop now.”

“Not that. I mean ... for being there for my dad.” Seb says. Aaron’s mouth forms an O and he pulls his hand away. “It’s fine. I’ll wait. Act surprised when he tells me.” He says quickly. “I’m happy.”

Aaron dips his head. “You are?”

“You’re like family already.” Seb practically grins and Aaron runs a hand through his hair before stopping. 

“Seb it’s ... early days.” He feels the need to remind him.

“Whatever.” Seb shrugs. “My dad doesn’t look at people the way he looks at you.” He says. “Never seen him happy like he’s meant to be ...” He smiles a little. “You make him happy.”

Aaron feels all it run through him and he almost can’t stop. 

“Well he makes me happy too.” Aaron says slowly.

Seb leans back against the sofa and presses play on the film before turning back towards Aaron. “Did you mean what you said?” He says slowly.

Aaron frowns. “When mate?”

“About ... loving me?”

Aaron knows. He’s known since he saw those bruises on his arm and he wanted to break the whole world for hurting him. “I meant it.” He says. “Yeah. Of course I did.” He whispers.

He thinks about Seb being a moody teenager soon, headphones in and wanting to be anywhere but cozy on a sofa with his dad and him and he smiles. He almost can’t wait to see him turn into the most amazing person. Even more so than he already is. 

Seb smiles back at him and Aaron feels light.

 

— 

 

Aaron says goodnight to Seb and then comes back down the stairs with a soft smile on his face. He’s already text Liv about coming back late and she’d said something about him not being able to stay away.

He didn’t even mind the teasing.

“I should be going.” Aaron says as he comes back into the living room. Robert’s sat down on the sofa and the telly’s off. He’s just sitting in silence and Aaron has to repeat himself.

“Yeah.” Robert says heavily.

Aaron frowns as he comes closer. “What’s wrong?” He asks. 

Only when Robert looks up at him, he sort of doesn’t want to know. He looks like he’s bursting inside to say something, like he’s trying to figure out how to get it out.

“Spit it out.” Aaron ways breathlessly, he gulps hard against the possibilities. “Robert.” He snaps.

Robert looks up at him earlier. “I heard what you said earlier, to Seb.” He says slowly. Aaron just frowns and then Robert sighs and pushes his hands down on his thighs. “You said you loved him.”

Aaron freezes slightly. “I do.” 

Robert stands. “You’ve known him for —“ He halts and then carries on. “No one who isn’t family has ever said that to him before. Don’t you get that?”

Aaron feels his chin start to wobble and he tells himself to calm down. “I wasn’t lying.” He says quickly.

Robert runs a hand across his face. “We haven’t even figured out what we are yet.” He says.

Aaron frowns. “Didn’t last night help you out?” He says. “When I was in your bed.” 

“Aaron ...”

“I told you how I felt.” Aaron cringes at his own words. “How I’ve felt for so long, I told you and you ... we ...” he loses something in himself as Robert looks away from him. “Now you’re taking it all back?”

He’s not sure how he’s supposed to react. How he’s supposed to stand here and listen to all of this without breaking down. 

“I’m not saying that.” Robert says quickly. “I’m just saying that ... it’s moving too fast. You’ve already told my son that you love him. He’s _twelve_ Aaron.” Robert whispers. “I’m all he has and now you’ve said that and ...”

Aaron closes his eyes. “Didn’t think I’d be going anywhere.” He says. “Didn’t think you’d push me away like this.” 

Robert sighs. “I’m not.” He says. “I’m just ... I think you’re amazing Aaron. I do. I just ... I don’t know —“

“You don’t know what?” Aaron flaps. He raises his voice slightly. 

“If all of this is worth it.”

Aaron cringes at his words, waits as Robert starts taking it back. “I mean ... look I’m just saying that I have a lot to consider.”

Aaron shudders. “So you’re just weighing me up then?”

“It’s not like that.”

“It is.” Aaron says. “You haven’t figured it out but I have.”

“Aaron.” Robert says _again_.

“I love you.” Aaron says. He doesn’t mean to say it. He was going for something like I want to be with you but apparently his mouth didn’t allow that. It makes Robert’s eyes widen and Aaron wants to _run_.

“I don’t ... know what to say.” Robert’s chest is rising and falling and Aaron’s chin is wobbling all over the place which is fantastic. 

“You don’t have to say anything. I get it.” Aaron’s eyes flicker and then he rubs at his eyes for a second. “I should go.” 

“You don’t have to go.” Robert says quickly and it doesn’t make any fucking sense. 

Aaron pushes him when he tries to reach out and Robert closes his eyes and looks away. 

“Fuck you.” Aaron whispers. “And fuck this.” He grabs his jacket and heads straight for the door. He can hear Robert calling for him but he doesn’t answer. He keeps walking until he’s in his car and driving away. 

 

—

 

He’s short and snappy and no one can get him out of the mood he’s in. It doesn’t help that Adam’s gone and crushed some machines that they could have flogged easily.

“It’s fine man. I’ll just ...”

“You can’t just go back in time and not be a prat.” Aaron snaps. He doesn’t even look up as he starts with more of the paper work he’s got.

Adam stays silent before he sighs. “Do me a favour and take this bad mood out on a car.” He says. He takes his jacket off and passes it towards Aaron. 

He takes him up on the offer, starts smashing the window screen of a car up and keeps imagining it’s Robert’s face. 

He only stops when Liv comes, asks if he’s making tea tonight. It’s been three days and he’s been able not to let her notice anything wrong.

She’s asked about Robert because she’s nosy but she’s also been busy with work and he doesn’t think she’s heard him cry or anything. He’s thankful for it. 

“Uh, I’ll order something in.” Aaron says, he goes to put his headphones back on when she crosses her arms over. “What?”

“Aren’t you seeing Robert or something?”

Aaron sighs. “No.” He says. “I’m not.” He goes to turn away when he hears his phone go off. He sees that it’s Robert. It’s not the first time he’s rang and Aaron’s just stared at the screen. He’s taken to just watching it, not being able to look away until it stops. 

“Has something happened?” Liv frowns, because she dips her head and sees Aaron just staring at it. “Aaron?”

He lifts his head up and tells her it’s nothing. She doesn’t buy it though, in fact, she walks into the office and Adam’s more than happy to tell her how mardy he’s been. 

So she brings it up again, this time it’s in the pub. He’s trying to have a quiet drink to himself when she sits opposite him.

“Guess who I just spoke to.” 

His head shoots up and his jaw tightens. “What?”

“Seb.” Liv leans over the table. “He rang me from home; he said his neighbour’s looking after him and she’s dead old.”

Aaron gulps hard. He feels like he’s being replaced and it kicks him in the gut. He doesn’t know what he was expecting but this hurts. 

“Said he missed ya.” Liv folds her arms over and sighs. “What happened?” 

Aaron closes his eyes. “We wanted different things.” He says quietly.

“Wait ... so you and him aren’t ...”

“We never really were.” Aaron says softly. “I got ahead of myself, it was going too quickly for him so ...”

Liv frowns. “So he’s like some commitment-phobe?” 

Aaron just shrugs awkwardly. “I don’t know.” He stammers out. “I just know that I said I loved Seb and he said I shouldn’t say stuff like that. But then I said I loved him so I really didn’t learn my lesson.” He surprises himself by telling her.

Liv’s face softens into this sad expression. “You love him?” He looks around and sees that hardly anyone is around. He doesn’t feel like he has to lie to her about anything.

“Yeah.” Aaron says thickly. “Sort of want to hate him though.”

Liv bites her lip and she nearly smiles. “You’ve never been with someone long enough to love them.” She says. “At least not whilst I’ve lived with you.” She corrects herself, maybe she remembers Jackson.

He thinks of the relationships he’s had, none of them have ever been anything to write home about in the end.

No one’s left that impact on him, so Liv’s never cared enough when they’ve left. He likes it that way, somehow it feels miles better than now. Her face like this. 

He just nods slowly. “Didn’t let anyone get close enough.” He says. The thing is, he didn’t intend on letting Robert this close either. He had no idea what he walked into when he agreed to do Liv a favour.

He didn’t realise how he would feel, how it’d go from _everything_ to fuck all in matter of days.

“You’re still doing it.” Liv says, she sits back in the booth and folds her arms.

“What?”

Liv points to his phone. “He’s tried calling you.” She says. “Seb says he tried talking sense into Robert only _you_ want answer.” Aaron feels his hands grow clammy. “Why won’t you hear him out?”

“Because ...” He leans over, let’s his emotions get the better of him and then has to lean back slowly and breathe out. “I don’t want to hear what he’s going to say.”

“Even if he’s saying sorry?”

“I don’t want to —“

“Let him in again?” He didn’t realise Liv could read his mind, he feels pathetic for it really. He dips his head down and she sighs softly. “That’s always been you I get that. You let him in once and he left. Doesn’t mean it’ll happen again.”

“I thought everything was good.” He says. He rubs a hand across his face. “But he doesn’t feel the way I do Liv. So I should just move on.”

“He didn’t say that.”

“Well he didn’t say I love you back did he?” Aaron says. Liv goes to speak again and then he waves a hand out and tells her to stop. “It’s fine. Okay? Don’t worry about me.” He says.

 

—

 

He thinks he can forget but he can’t because he’s never been good at that. Things fester, swim around in his mind however far back they are.

He thinks about never getting close enough to let himself get hurt and yet he’s done it now. He’s let it happen.

He’s fallen flat on his face and everything.

Robert pushed him away so he pushed him back and he didn’t come running.

He won’t, Aaron reminds himself as he deletes his stupid number.

 

—

 

He’s twelve points away from his highest score, in a world of his own really, when there’s a knock at the door. 

He doesn’t realise anyone’s even there for a second and then it persists and he decides to start being an adult about life in general. He stands, huffs out dramatically and then he stills when he sees who’s standing there.

He’s pretty grateful for the whole glass panelled thing he’s got going. He freezes against it, against _him_ considering the fact that it’s nearly been a week. 

“Aaron, please let me in.” Robert says. He knocks on the door again and Aaron suddenly gets his arse in gear and opens it slowly. 

He looks good. He’s wearing a shirt Aaron’s never seen before, his hair is less styled than usual but he looks good for it. Of course he does.

“What do you want?” Aaron practically barks at him.

Inside, deep inside, all he can hear is: He ran after you. It makes him feel pathetic and stupid and something inside him flutter.

Robert’s chest caves. “I just ... you weren’t answering my calls.” He says. “I needed to talk to you.”

“Why would you want to do that?” Aaron folds his arms, he’s impressed by how strong he’s being about this all. 

“Because I —“ Aaron’s never seen Robert like this. It makes him feel strong and weak at the exact same time. “I wanted to say that I’m sorry.”

“Fine.” Aaron goes to shut the door and Robert keeps it open with his large fucking hands. 

“Hear me out.” Robert says.

Everything inside Aaron tells him to shut the door. He goes to push at it and then he looks into Robert’s eyes.

“Please.” Robert whispers. 

Aaron caves, Robert walks in and looks around awkwardly before sticking a hand in his pocket and looming over the sofa.

“Go on.” Aaron says.

“You make me nervous, always have.” Robert says. He looks like he’s trying to think of how to say what he wants to say and Aaron struggles against it. “How I feel ... it’s scary Aaron. It was moving too fast and I shouldn’t have been so blunt but ...”

“You did me a favour.”

“Don’t say that.” Robert says. “Me and Seb — we’ve missed you.”

“Seb who I’m not supposed to love yet?” Aaron comes forward. “It’s like everything has to be controlled and scheduled for you? Well I’m sorry my feelings don’t follow your whole life plan idea.”

Robert scowls suddenly. “I have a _son_. I’m forced to think about the future day in day out. So I thought of him and how he’d react to anything going wrong between us.” He says. “He’s already lost his mum, _that_ changed everything. That’s why I’m like this. I can’t ...”

“You can’t _what_?” Aaron gets out.

Robert closes his eyes for a second and then his phone goes off and the moment between them is broken into nothing. He fishes out his phone and then picks it up quickly.

“Hi, everything good?” Aaron watches his face change. “What? When?” He’s already panicking, Aaron can see it all. “I — yeah I’ll —“ He puts the phone down and stares at Aaron. “Seb’s missing.”

 

—

 

Aaron drives, because Robert’s a nervous wreck.

“He can’t have gone far.” Aaron mumbles as they turn the corner into Robert’s road.

“That’s what people say about _cats_ , not a twelve year old boy who hates his dad.”

“He doesn’t hate you.” Aaron says, he parks up outside Robert’s and turns to him. “Stop being dramatic.”

“Because of you. Because I drove you away.” Robert says bitterly. 

“So it’s my fault?” Aaron asks, he’s all broad shoulders and frowning. 

Robert gets out of the car and Aaron follows him. They practically bicker the whole way around the house as they try to search for him.

The neighbour Liv was on about seems pretty clueless as well which is helpful.

“You know you could have just been straight with me about wanting sex and nothing else.” Aaron says, because now isn’t the time to do this but he can’t help himself.

Robert and him are matching around the streets in a panic and he just huffs at him. “Because you’re _so_ good.” Robert says sarcastically.

“Must be to have you making those sounds all night long.” Aaron snaps back. Robert just rolls his eyes at him. “Yeah you do that. Pretend like I’m wrong.”

“Me pretend?” Robert turns towards him. “Says the man ignoring me for the last four days because he’s too big to listen to an apology.”

“For _what_?” 

“Not saying it back when I should have!” Robert shouts, sort of right in Aaron’s face and everything. It makes Aaron stumble back slightly until he absorbs exactly what he meant.

His eyes just flicker for a second and then they widen when he sees Seb in the park across from them. “Seb.” He says breathlessly as he starts running towards him.

It turns out that he decided to go out for a bit and Mrs Jules just didn’t hear. It’s harmless, but Robert keeps kissing his head and calling him stupid.

“Thought you’d ran off because of me.” Robert says cautiously as they walk back. “Being an idiot.” He look towards Aaron and he only looks away. 

“What like some master plan to get you two back together or something?” 

Robert halts and frowns at Seb. “Back together? Who said we were ...”

Seb shakes his head smugly. “Saw Aaron’s shoes in the hallway the next morning. Figured he couldn’t have gone home without them.”

Robert looks at Aaron and Aaron doesn’t look away from him until Seb speaks again.

“Dad I don’t care.” Seb says. “About you liking men too. It’s fine, more than fine. I mean ...”

Robert waves a hand out. “Seb.”

Aaron sighs. “Sort of spent the whole time bickering though so your plan sucked.”

Seb looks sad suddenly, he shakes his head at his dad and Aaron goes to speak before the boy’s walking ahead by himself.

“Seb.” Robert calls out but it doesn’t make a difference. He rubs at his face and turns towards Aaron again. “He hates me.” He says.

Aaron kicks a stone and sighs. “Reckon he hates me more.” He says. “I did mean it you know, about loving him. I didn’t just say it to make him feel better. I know what it’s like to be lied to as a kid, I wouldn’t do that.”

Robert’s eyes flicker. “Yeah I know.” He says. “I meant it too.” He almost smiles and then his cheeks flush and Aaron won’t be able to forget what he’s talking about. 

“I should go.” Aaron says.

Robert steps forward. “Don’t.”

“I really should.” Aaron whispers. “Just uh ... I can’t do this right now.” He says.

Because he’s too afraid to. 

 

—

 

He’s alone in the house because Liv’s at a friends and there’s nothing on the telly. So his mind drifts and he allows himself to be vulnerable about what he wants and what he doesn’t want.

The feeling takes over and he ends up curled up on the sofa wanting the world to end.

But it doesn’t. Instead someone knocks on the door and it’s Robert. Again.

He opens the door slowly after Robert pleads with him and when he does Robert just barges holding his hands in the air.

“You might be as much as a coward as I am but I don’t care.” That’s his opener.

“What?”

Robert flaps, leather jacket almost squeaking as he waves his arms about. “No I mean you’re not ...” He steadies himself. “I’ve not been happy in a really long time. Then you came along.” Aaron can relate, of course he can. He almost blushes and then he looks away.

“I know how the story goes.” Aaron says. “We have sex and then you freak out.”

“I didn’t freak out over the sex.”

“You got my point.”

“You’re not getting mine.” Robert steps forward and a hand hovers over Aaron’s chest. “I look at you and I see ... a future. One I didn’t plan on having. And I know that sounds stupid but — when I had to take Seb on full time, my life changed, I had to change. I had to plan and prepare and ...” He stops himself. “You made me want to let go of all that.”

Aaron doesn’t say anything, he almost can’t. He just feels Robert closing in on him and he steps away.

“You don’t know what you want. Not like I do.” He whispers.

“I know that I’m in love with you.” Robert says, like he’s talking about the weather. He doesn’t even flinch.

“You’re not.” Aaron says, he _pushes_ and Robert pulls him back in.

“I am. Have been since ... I don’t even know.” Robert almost laughs. “And it’s scary. It is but I don’t want to be scared of anything. Least of all you.” He says. 

He holds at Aaron’s hand and Aaron lets him. He lets himself feel loved.

“Me and Seb, we love you.” Robert whispers. “I want us to be something, a family?” He seems unsure and it’s endearing. He leans his head against Aaron’s and then holds him by the chin like he does with Seb. “We can take it as slow as ...”

Aaron breathes out before pushing his mouth against Robert’s and breathing him in. He’s got tears in his and he feels Robert bringing him closer. They stay like that, panting against each other for what feels like hours before Aaron moves away and steps back.

“I’m making lasagne, for tea, tonight.” Robert says slowly. “If you come then ... I’ll know you want us. If you don’t then ...”

He leaves it hanging in the air. 

“Six.” He says before leaving.

Aaron barely has time to think before Liv’s coming through the door.

“Was that Robert I just saw leaving? Are you two back on?”

Aaron just shakes his head at her. “No it’s complicated.”

“ _Why_? You love him. He’s come round and probably told you he loves you too. Aaron you can’t just run from things whenever you’re scared.”

“Since when were you Paddy?” Aaron scowls at her and she nearly laughs.

“You’re only saying that ‘cause you know I’m right.” Liv says. “You’re in a flap because he’s the one or whatever and you’re scared. So what? Everyone’s scared.”

“Liv.”

“Aaron.” She mocks.

“Just leave it.” He says. “I need to head back to work.” He waves a hand out.

 

—

 

He’s scared. He has reasons to be scared. 

He places them in a box like his counsellor always bangs on about. He ties the box up in a bow and sets it aside.

He breathes easily.

 

—

 

He knocks and doesn’t hear anything. He takes it as a sign and then Robert appears. He’s got a tea towel on his shoulder and his big green eyes are shiny.

“Sorry I was late. Traffic was mad.” Aaron says. 

Robert just nods, “Come here.” He says, and Aaron leans forward into a kiss. He sort of stumbles because of the posh outdoor step thing Robert’s got going on but he doesn’t care. He smiles into the kiss, heart and soul or whatever. 

“I’m in this ... for real.” Aaron says shyly. Robert holds him by his chin and smiles at him.

“So am I.”

“Even if we mess it up?” They probably both think of Seb.

Robert nods though. “Even if.” He says. “You’re worth it. I’m sorry I ever made you doubt that.” Aaron looks away for a second and Robert studies him as he holds his face. “I hate anyone who’s made you feel like that before.”

Aaron blinks quickly. “That doesn’t matter now.” He says. “If you’re sure about me?”

Robert nods steadily and then tilts his head. “Could ask you the same question.”

Aaron laughs. “I came didn’t I?” 

Robert rests a hand on Aaron’s chest. “You did.” He says, Aaron’s never felt so exposed before, knowing that Robert can feel his heartbeat like this. He closes his eyes for a second and then smiles as Robert brings him into a hug. 

He doesn’t say anything and yet at the same time he says everything he needs to. He’s nearly crying against Aaron and he only moves away and rubs at his eyes when something pings in the kitchen. 

Aaron steps in, Robert ushering him inside and he sees Seb waiting at the dinner table for him. His eyes widen when he comes in.

“You actually came?” Seb asks. “Are you staying?”

“I’m staying.” Aaron says. Robert comes closer and wraps an arm around Aaron. 

“For good.” Robert says. “Aaron’s my ... boyfriend now.”

“Am I?” Aaron turns back and Robert nods eagerly. 

“You are.” Robert says. Seb tells them to get a room and Robert looks at him like it’s music to his ears or something, like he’s waited forever to hear that. It’s weird and soft at the same time. “Call Liv, we’ve set her a plate too.”

And Aaron’s touched, because Liv might legally be an adult but she feels like she’s still only fourteen really. He sends her a quick text telling her to come round Robert’s for tea and she replies telling him he’s giving her whiplash. Then she adds a gif so it’s fine.

“So uh ... does this mean I’m out of a job?” She asks, mouthful of a lasagne and making them all look at each other.

“Suppose so yeah.” Robert says, he holds at Aaron’s hand under the table and smiles.

It’s the best thing Aaron’s ever seen. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> This was really fun to write and I hope you liked reading it. Let me know what you thought if you have the time!


End file.
